A large share of the 5.8 billion face masks that former Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) secured during his controversial procurement tour at the start of the COVID‑19 crisis has now been burned unused. This follows responses from the federal government to a Bundestag inquiry by the Green Party and to a question from “Spiegel”.
According to the official figures, roughly three billion masks have been sent to incineration plants, incurring disposal costs of about 8 million euros. By the end of 2026, an additional 85 million masks are expected to reach the same fate as their expiration dates approach. Despite the massive purchase-5.9 million euros spent-the government reports that only about 2.12 billion masks have actually been distributed.
The remainder of the masks that were neither burned nor distributed largely consists of 360 million items currently subject to ongoing legal proceedings. These masks are retained for evidence preservation while the federal government is involved in numerous lawsuits against mask suppliers over pending payments. Even these masks are likely to be disposed of eventually.
