In some cases, youngsters have been reportedly seen extracting a discarded e-cigarette from battery collection bins.

E-cigarettes or "vaping" are subject to the same laws in Estonia as tobacco products, meaning they are banned to under-18s.

A member of the public in Tartu reported seeing a boy who was "clearly underage" who managed to open a collection box set up for discarded batteries in the Kesklinna Keskus mall. The boxes' contents included discarded e-cigarettes, placed in the wrong container, and the boy was able to extract these. The witness claimed the boy then used these e-cigarettes, while there were no personnel on hand to prevent him from doing so.

The reported incident happened at the Rimi supermarket inside the mall.

Rimi Estonia's Head of Sales and Business Operations Jelena Litvinovitš said the company is aware of the issue more broadly, and is taking it seriously.

"We have heard before that this is an issue in some stores: When children notice used e-cigarettes in the collection box, they try to take them out. We are currently looking for a solution that could prevent access to the contents of the collection box and reduce the incorrect disposal of e-cigarettes, so that the message also reaches customers about which boxes are intended for e-cigarettes and which boxes are intended for batteries."

"The boxes we currently have in most of our stores are not a very good solution. It is relatively easy to get an e-cigarette out of them," Litvinovitš admitted.

Rain Päären of the state Environmental Agency (Keskkonnaagentuur) said stores selling batteries are subject to specific collection requirements, with e-cigarettes treated under the same rules as small electronics.

"An e-cigarette actually falls under the category of small electronic equipment, and stores selling electronic devices are also required to collect them. There are separate collection boxes for small electronic equipment," Päären noted, though conceded there are no prescribed rules on how easy-to-access these collection receptacles should be.

Litvinovitš said that Rimi is attempting to phase in collection boxes with a smaller opening and a lid that would be harder to remove.

The Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs recently proposed new rules to reduce minors' access to tobacco and nicotine products, with health concerns in focus.

This follows a study which found e-cigarettes were popular with minors, particularly the 14-15 age group, with the various flavors on offer being a factor.

The regulations will also address the issue of products purchased outside Estonia and brought in, particularly unregulated imports from non-EU countries, which may contain harmful substances and avoid taxes and fees.

A law, enacting an EU directive and barring the sale of heated tobacco products with flavors and aromas, which passed at the Riigikogu in April, does not cover vaping and e-cigarettes.

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