From butts to 'puffs': Europe grapples with electronic cigarette waste

However, the measure does not introduce a specific collection system for these devices: e-cigs remain covered by the general legislation on electronic waste and batteries. In practice, the devices have to be delivered to the normal collection schemes for small electronic devices and accumulators.

The French authorities recall that these products cannot be disposed of in household waste and that consumers can leave them free of charge at large retail outlets or authorised collection centres. The system is based on the principle of extended producer responsibility, already applied to other electronic waste.

The penalties are severe: up to EUR 100,000 for individuals and EUR 300,000 for companies.

Belgium also chose the path of the ban, becoming the first EU country to implement it in practice: as of 1 January 2025, disposable electronic cigarettes are banned in all sales outlets.

In the Belgian case, the environmental issue was closely linked to the fight against youth smoking. The federal government included the ban in a broader anti-tobacco package, with restrictions on sales outlets, strengthened controls and the stated goal of creating a 'smoke-free generation'.

But the first months of enforcement show the difficulties. The Belgian authorities have already seized thousands of illegal devices, including products sold online or through informal channels. According to several local media, 'puffs' continue to circulate easily among young people despite the ban.

According to the Irish Waste Management Association, about 30 million vape are disposed of in the country every year, but only a small fraction is properly delivered to e-waste centres.

The main problem is related to the lithium-ion batteries contained in the devices. If thrown in the waste stream or crushed during waste collection and sorting, they can cause fires in compactor trucks and treatment plants. The industry association estimates that between 2023 and 2025, fires in sorting centres caused more than EUR 56 million in damage, plus approximately EUR 1.7 million in damage to collection vehicles.

According to current rules, e-cigs should be delivered to dedicated collection points for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. But with millions of devices sold each year, only 1.1 million would be returned through these channels.

Experts now speak of a growing environmental emergency. Jason Power, a researcher at the University of Limerick, pointed out that the improper disposal of vape leads to 'risks to life, toxic emissions, further waste of recyclable materials and damage to recycling infrastructure'.

Spain is also moving towards tighter restrictions on disposable electronic cigarettes, mainly for environmental reasons. The government of Pedro Sánchez is working on a reform of tobacco legislation that includes a possible ban on disposable devices, among other measures.

According to the Spanish executive, these products generate a strong environmental impact because they combine electronic components, batteries and toxic substances with limited recycling possibilities. The issue has now entered the national political debate as part of the strategies against electronic waste and youth vaping. However, the proposal has opened an institutional clash. The Spanish Commission for Markets and Competition has challenged certain aspects of the reform, arguing that the government should consider less restrictive alternatives to a total ban on disposable e-cigs. Thus, the tension between three different demands emerges in Spain: environmental protection, public health and regulation of a rapidly growing market.

Lithuania, on the other hand, deals with the phenomenon through the ordinary e-waste management system. E-cigarettes, including batteries and cartridges, must be collected via the official e-waste and accumulator circuits. The European principle of extended producer responsibility also applies here: companies must finance the collection and recycling of devices placed on the market. The legislation provides for administrative penalties for those who abandon this waste in the environment or dispose of it improperly. Fines can affect both individuals and companies, depending on the severity of the environmental damage.

In Italia, there is currently no national ban on disposable electronic cigarettes, but the issue of disposal is attracting increasing attention from the e-waste industry and trade associations.

Disposable e-cigs are considered to all intents and purposes WEEE - waste electrical and electronic equipment - because they contain batteries, circuits and electronic components. The Italian legislation derives from Legislative Decree 49/2014, which transposes the European WEEE Directive.

Under these rules, retailers - including tobacconists and vape shops - are obliged to take back used devices free of charge when buying a new one ('one-for-one'). For each refused electronic cigarette, administrative penalties of between €150 and €400 may be imposed.

In recent years, some trade organisations have set up dedicated collection systems. As of 2024, for example, several tobacco shops associated with Assotabaccai Confesercenti can join a collection service set up by Logista Italia to take back used e-cigs and their components.

But the main problem remains consumer behaviour. According to the industry, many disposable electronic cigarettes still end up in the rubbish bin or are abandoned in public spaces, with the risk of leaking plastic and lithium batteries.

The case of electronic cigarettes shows a growing contradiction in European environmental policies: high-tech products are designed for a very short use, but contain complex materials to be processed and recovered. Each device contains plastics, electronic circuits and lithium batteries, components that require specialised collection and recycling chains. When they end up in unsorted waste, they increase the risk of fires and the dispersion of pollutants. This is why several governments are shifting their focus from simple disposal to upstream reduction.

*This article is part of the European collaborative journalism project "Pulse"