Kiera Jefferson
The environmental impact of cigarettes extends beyond the well-known health risks associated with smoking. The tobacco industry has a significant impact on the planet's natural resources and ecosystems, from the production and consumption of cigarettes to the improper disposal of cigarette butts. With an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette filters polluting our oceans, rivers, and land each year, the toxic chemicals and heavy metals contained in cigarettes leech into the environment, endangering wildlife and contributing to water, air, and soil pollution. The cultivation of tobacco also contributes to deforestation, the use of fossil fuels, and the depletion of finite resources such as water and arable land. The impact of cigarette pollution is further exacerbated by the short lifespan of e-cigarettes, which contributes to the growing issue of electronic waste.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cigarette butts littered in the US | 9.7 billion |
| Cigarette butts cleaned up globally from beaches and waterways in 2021 | 1,134,292 |
| Cigarette butts as a percentage of all US litter | 20% |
| Cigarette filters polluting oceans, rivers, sidewalks, parks, soil, and beaches | 4.5 trillion |
| Cigarette filters as a form of plastic pollution | Second-highest |
| Cigarette smoke pollution compared to diesel car exhaust | 10 times greater |
| Cigarette production worldwide in 2014 | 6.48 million tonnes |
| CO2 emissions from cigarette production | 84 million tonnes |
| Percentage of global total CO2 emissions from cigarette production | 0.2% |
| Number of cigarettes produced yearly | 6 trillion |
| Percentage of industry costs spent on manufacturing | 43% |
| Percentage of industry costs spent on tobacco leaf | 4% |
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What You'll Learn
- Cigarette butts are the most littered item, with 9.7 billion polluting US waterways and roadways
- Cigarette filters are made from plastic, which does not biodegrade and leeches toxic chemicals into the environment
- Cigarette smoke produces 10 times more air pollution than diesel car exhaust
- The tobacco industry impacts the environment through climate change, water and land use, and toxicity
- Tobacco production uses water and farmland in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to deforestation
Cigarette butts are the most littered item, with 9.7 billion polluting US waterways and roadways
Cigarette butts are often disposed of on streets, sidewalks, and other public areas, where they may be carried as runoff to drains and ultimately pollute rivers, beaches, and oceans. The plastic filters in cigarette butts can take years to degrade, and even when they do, they release toxic chemicals into the environment. This has led to growing calls for a ban on cigarette filters, treating them as single-use plastics, and holding the tobacco industry accountable for the environmental damage caused by their products.
The problem of cigarette butt litter is not limited to traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes, which are growing in popularity, also contribute to plastic, electronic, and chemical waste. The lack of guidance and infrastructure for disposing of used e-cigarette devices and cartridges further exacerbates the issue. In the United States alone, at least five disposable e-cigarettes are thrown away every second, amounting to 150 million devices per year.
The environmental impact of the tobacco industry extends beyond littering. The cultivation, processing, transport, and manufacture of tobacco products contribute to deforestation, the use of fossil fuels, and the depletion of water and soil resources. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms about the environmental impact of the tobacco industry, highlighting that it costs the world millions of trees, hectares of land, billions of tonnes of water, and millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Overall, the issue of cigarette butt litter is a significant environmental concern, and efforts are needed to reduce the impact of tobacco products on the planet's natural resources and vulnerable ecosystems. Holding the tobacco industry accountable and implementing measures to reduce the use of single-use plastics in tobacco products can help mitigate the environmental damage caused by cigarette pollution.
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Cigarette filters are made from plastic, which does not biodegrade and leeches toxic chemicals into the environment
Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item worldwide, with an estimated 766,571 metric tons ending up in the environment annually. They are commonly found on US beaches and waterways, as well as roadways, retail areas, storm drains, loading docks, construction sites, and recreational areas. Cigarette filters, made from cellulose acetate, a type of plastic, are a significant contributor to this litter problem.
Cigarette filters are designed as single-use plastics and do not biodegrade, even though many smokers assume they are made of biodegradable materials. This plastic can take up to a decade to decompose, and even when it does, it only degrades under severe biological circumstances, such as when filters collect in sewage. As a result, the filters that are tossed on streets, beaches, and waterways simply pile up, leeching toxic chemicals into the environment.
These toxic chemicals have been shown to be deadly to living creatures. A study conducted by Thomas Novotny, an emeritus professor of global health, found that fish placed in water where cigarette butts had been soaked had a 50% mortality rate after four days. This demonstrates the toxic impact of cigarette butts on aquatic ecosystems.
The issue is not limited to cigarettes but extends to e-cigarettes as well. E-cigarette waste, including plastic, electronic, and chemical components, contributes to the growing problem of electronic waste. The lack of proper disposal methods for e-cigarettes further exacerbates the issue.
The environmental impact of cigarette filters has led to calls for action. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the ecological, socioeconomic, and public health benefits of banning cigarette filters. Some cities have implemented fees on cigarette packets to fund street cleaning, while others fine littering. Additionally, the European Union is taking steps to address the problem, with new rules requiring the tobacco industry to fund the cleaning up of cigarette stubs and reduce single-use plastic items.
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Cigarette smoke produces 10 times more air pollution than diesel car exhaust
While the negative impact of tobacco on human health is well-known, a new report by Imperial College London outlines for the first time the substantial impact of the tobacco industry on the environment. The report was launched at a meeting of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The report highlights that the six trillion cigarettes produced yearly impact the environment through climate change, water and land use, and toxicity. The global cultivation of tobacco requires substantial land and water use, pesticides, and labour, all finite resources that could be used more efficiently for other crops. For example, in Zimbabwe, a hectare of land could produce 19 times more potatoes than tobacco.
The environmental costs of tobacco production and consumption have not been extensively studied, but evidence shows that the industry is having a significant effect on the planet's natural resources and vulnerable ecosystems. Every stage of the tobacco supply chain poses serious environmental consequences, including deforestation, the use of fossil fuels, and the dumping or leaking of waste products into the natural environment.
In addition to the environmental impact of tobacco production and consumption, cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item worldwide, polluting beaches, waterways, and roadways. Cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate, a plastic that does not biodegrade. As a result, an estimated 766,571 metric tons of cigarette butts end up in the environment every year, leeching over 7000 toxic chemicals into the water, air, and land.
Furthermore, a controlled experiment reported in Tobacco Control found that cigarette smoke produces ten times more air pollution than diesel car exhaust. The experiment, conducted in a private garage in northern Italy, involved idling a turbo diesel 2-litre engine for 30 minutes with the doors closed, followed by leaving the doors open for four hours. Three filter cigarettes were then lit sequentially and left smouldering for another 30 minutes. The results showed that environmental tobacco smoke produces fine particulate matter, the most dangerous element of air pollution for health.
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The tobacco industry impacts the environment through climate change, water and land use, and toxicity
The tobacco industry has a significant impact on the environment, not just on human health. The production and consumption of six trillion cigarettes a year affect the environment through climate change, water and land use, and toxicity.
Firstly, the tobacco industry contributes to climate change through energy and fuel consumption. The processing of tobacco leaves into dry tobacco is highly energy-intensive, often involving coal or wood burning, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. The industry's carbon footprint from production, processing, and transportation is equivalent to one-fifth of the CO2 produced by commercial airlines annually. This results in approximately 84 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, accounting for about 0.2% of the global total.
Secondly, tobacco cultivation requires substantial water consumption, contributing to water depletion and scarcity. The global production of six trillion cigarettes uses 32.4 million tonnes of green tobacco, impacting water resources in countries like China, where habitats suffer from water scarcity. The industry's water usage also affects food production in low- and middle-income countries, where farmland and water are needed to grow food for the region.
Thirdly, tobacco cultivation demands extensive land use, contributing to deforestation and soil depletion. The industry clears forests to cultivate tobacco, resulting in the loss of 600 million trees and 200,000 hectares of land annually. The intensive land use for tobacco also competes with food production, as alternative crops can often yield significantly higher outputs. For example, in Zimbabwe, a hectare of land can produce up to 19 times more potatoes than tobacco.
Lastly, the toxicity of the tobacco industry is evident in the hazardous effects of cigarette butt littering. Cigarette butts, made of plastic filters that do not biodegrade, are the most frequently littered item in the US and worldwide. These butts pollute waterways, oceans, and soil, leaching toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the environment. The tobacco products contain over 7,000 toxic chemicals, impacting the survival and behaviour of freshwater invertebrates and adversely affecting plant growth. The disposal of e-cigarettes also contributes to electronic waste, with their batteries and plastic components further polluting the environment.
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Tobacco production uses water and farmland in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to deforestation
Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item worldwide, polluting beaches, waterways, oceans, and even roadways. These butts are made of plastic filters that do not biodegrade, piling up on shorelines and at the bottom of bodies of water. E-cigarettes are also a growing problem, contributing to electronic waste.
Tobacco cultivation also has a devastating impact on the environment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Tobacco growing contributes to deforestation, with fragile ecosystems being destroyed and land being cleared of forests. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry costs the world 600 million trees every year.
Tobacco is often grown in dry, fragile, and complex ecosystems, such as the miombo woodlands in southern Africa, which are home to thousands of plant and animal species. The expansion of tobacco farms often comes at the expense of nearby forested land. In addition, tobacco farmers often burn new land for cultivation, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and widespread soil erosion and depletion.
Tobacco cultivation also has adverse economic and social impacts. Farmers in countries like Malawi face precarious economic conditions and are under pressure to maximize production to support their households. However, tobacco prices are consistently low, and the industry's misleading narrative of prosperity impoverishes families instead.
Furthermore, tobacco is a water-intensive crop, requiring daily water supply during its early stages and specific irrigation practices to achieve good yields. This high water demand can further strain resources in water-scarce regions.
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Frequently asked questions
Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item worldwide. In 2021, 1,134,292 cigarette butts were cleaned up from beaches and waterways, making them the second most common type of litter after food wrappers. However, not all cigarette butts that are littered are collected, and the actual number polluting the environment is estimated to be closer to 9.7 billion. Cigarette filters are made from plastic, which does not biodegrade, and contain over 7,000 toxic chemicals that leech into the environment.
A controlled experiment reported in Tobacco Control found that the air pollution emitted by cigarettes is 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust. Environmental tobacco smoke produces fine particulate matter, which is the most dangerous element of air pollution for health.
The tobacco industry has a significant impact on the environment at every stage of the supply chain, including deforestation, the use of fossil fuels, and the dumping or leaking of waste products. The cultivation of tobacco also contributes to climate change, with the production of 6 trillion cigarettes in 2014 resulting in 84 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
E-cigarettes also contribute to pollution, as they contain plastic, electronic, and chemical waste that often ends up as litter. In the United States, at least five disposable e-cigarettes are thrown away every second, amounting to 150 million devices per year. E-cigarette waste contributes to the growing issue of electronic waste, with Americans generating 6.92 kilotons of consumer electronic waste in 2019.
