Can I throw cigarette butts on the street?
No. Throwing a cigarette butt on the pavement, road, into a drain or into nature is illegal 'littering' — an offence under the Recycling Act (KrWG) and municipal waste/cleaning by-laws. Butts contain toxins that pollute soil and water (one filter contaminates many litres) and barely rot. Depending on the city, fines run from about €25 to over €250. Especially risky: a butt tossed in the forest or at a field edge can start a fire — then you also face proceedings for (negligent) arson.
📋 The rules
- Tossing butts = illegal littering (Recycling Act + municipal by-law)
- Applies to road, pavement, drain, green spaces, beach, nature
- Fines per city about €25 to over €250
- In the forest (esp. high fire-risk levels) smoking is often banned entirely
- A butt as a fire cause can be negligent arson (a crime)
🔓 Exceptions
- Stubbing out and into your own pocket ashtray/bin — of course allowed
- On private ground (your own ashtray) it's not littering
- Some cities give first offenders a warning instead of a fine
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Tossing a butt is an administrative offence; fines range, per municipality, from about €25 to over €250 (more in some cities). If the butt causes a forest or land fire, a crime of negligent arson is added — a fine or prison and full liability for the firefighting costs.
📎 Official sources
- Recycling Act (KrWG) · statute →
- Bußgeldkatalog · Dumping waste / littering →
- Federal Environment Agency · Cigarette butts as an environmental problem →
❓ Frequently asked
Is throwing away butts banned?
Yes. Tossing cigarette butts on the street, pavement, into a drain or into nature is illegal littering under the Recycling Act and municipal by-laws. It's an administrative offence with a fine.
What does a tossed cigarette cost?
Depending on the city, about €25 to over €250. The exact amount is in the local waste or cleaning by-law; some big cities punish especially strictly, others first warn offenders.
Why are butts so harmful?
Filters contain nicotine, heavy metals and other toxins. A single butt can pollute many litres of water, and the plastic filter barely rots for years. That's why butts count as a major environmental problem.
What if it starts a fire?
Then it gets serious: a butt as a fire cause can be negligent arson — a crime punishable by fine or prison. On top, you're liable for the firefighting and consequential costs, which mount quickly.
Can I smoke in the forest?
Often not. In many states smoking in the forest is banned entirely from March to October, all the more so at high fire risk. Even smoking itself can be an offence there.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “throw cigarette on street fine”
- “tossing butts penalty”
- “cigarette butt littering”
- “butt forest fire crime”
- “dumping waste fine”
- “cigarette butt environment”