As per the new environmental legislation in Spain, tobacco firms will have to pay for cleaning the millions of cigarette butts that end up in the trash. Read to know more about the new law.
Tobacco companies to pay for cleaning up cigarette butts?
New environmental legislation in Spain will take effect from Friday and is aiming to reduce waste and boost recycling. As per the new law, cotton buds, plastic straws, single-use plastic plates and cutlery, expanded polystyrene cups, and plastic food packaging are banned. The rule complies with the European Union’s directive restricting the use of single-use plastic. Additionally, it is attempting to make the polluters responsible for cleaning up the damage done.
“In Catalonia, cigarette butts generate more than 2700 tonnes of waste per year, and it is estimated that 70 percent of cigarettes smoked globally end up on land or in natural spaces,” stated a report conducted by local agencies in collaboration with the regional administration of Catalonia.
More on the new environmental legislation
Cigarette butts are one of the most familiar types of litter. Unfortunately, they take about 10 years for degrading. During this time, they spew harmful chemicals such as lead and arsenic. As per Ocean Conservancy, an estimated 5 billion cigarette butts are dumped into the ocean annually. Hence, they also make up a significant proportion of marine pollution. Ocean Conservatory is a non-profit organization.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), 18 percent of adults in Spain are smokers. Moreover, about 21 percent of adolescents between the ages of 15 to 19 smoked in 2019. Hence, cigarette companies will be educating the public to stop leaving cigarette buts in the open. However, the total cost and clean-up method are currently unknown. As per a study conducted by Catalan, it will be ranging between €12 to €21 per resident annually, Hence adding up to a total of €1 billion.
