Plastic Pollution from Cigarette Butts: A $186 Billion Toll Over in 10 Years

 

Plastic Pollution from Cigarette Butts: A $186 Billion Toll Over in 10 Years

By Daily News Reporter

The costs of environmental pollution caused by plastics in cigarette butts and packaging amount to an estimated US$26 billion every year or US$186 billion every 10 years — adjusted for inflation — in waste management and marine ecosystem damage worldwide, according to data analysis from the Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, published online in the journal Tobacco Control. According to the analysis, in Africa, countries with the highest smoking rate contribute greatest to the cigarette filter pollution costs. These include South Africa, followed by Nigeria, Sudan, Mozambique, Kenya and Ethiopia,

 

"Although seemingly dwarfed by the overall impact of tobacco, these costs are not trivial — they accumulate and are preventable," emphasizes the researcher behind the study. Despite the increasing bans on single-use plastics worldwide, the significant contribution of tobacco-related plastic pollution has been overlooked, with cigarette filters, a primary culprit, ranking as the most prevalent littered item globally.

 

The researchers have estimated that the annual economic cost of cigarette plastics waste is around US$26 billion, made up of US$20.7 billion in marine ecosystem damage and US$5 billion in waste management costs, adding up to US$186 billion over 10 years.

“Although this amount is small compared with the annual economic losses from tobacco (US$1.4trillion per year) and may appear insignificant compared with the 8 million deaths attributable to tobacco each year, these environmental costs should not be downplayed as they are accumulating and are preventable,” emphasizes the researcher(name with hled).

"Low and middle-income countries, especially in Africa with increasing smoking rates, relatively high plastic leakage, and poor waste management capacity; bear the brunt of this environmental burden," notes the researcher.

Despite these estimates being conservative, the study's findings underscore the urgency to mitigate tobacco plastic waste pollution, considering the potential health and ecological implications of accumulated toxic chemicals within cigarette butts. Moreover, they advocate for policies to shift cleanup responsibilities to the tobacco industry based on the polluters pay principle.

Leonce Sessou, Executive Secretary of the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) stated that they is need to hold the tobacco industry accountable.

"We must compel the industry to address its legacy waste and redirect these funds towards independent and effective campaigns in a manner aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," Sessou said.

 The recent revelations from the Global Tobacco Index underscore the deceptive greenwashing tactics employed by the tobacco industry.

Mr. Sessou also urged that they is need for an immediate ban on cigarette filters in the plastics treaty currently under negotiation, a position supported by the WHO in its submission to the treaty negotiations.

“Plastic pollution also affects climate change, which is now being tackled at COP28 of the UN FCCC,” he added.

and According to the WHO, while smoking prevalence in the African region remains lower compared to other regions, the escalating rates of tobacco use necessitate attention and action.