Tobacco Companies To Foot The Bill To Clean Up Cigarette Butts In Spain

Under new environmental regulations that just rolled out in Spain, tobacco manufacturers will be required to foot the bill for cleaning up with tons of discarded cigarette butts that end up littering roads and sidewalks annually. 

If you thought straws were bad, cigarette butts are undeniably worse, considering they’re the most common form of plastic pollution in the world, with an estimated 4.5 trillion butts thrown out each year. 

As per a Catalan study cited by The Guardian, this initiative could cost companies up to €1 billion (US$1.07 billion) yearly, which could see firms try to pass on the cost to the consumer by increasing the prices of cigarette packets. 

It has also been suggested there could be a complementary scheme in which cigarette butts could be redeemed for €0.20 each (US$0.21), which would add €4 (US$4.24) to the current average price of €5 (US$5.30) for a pack of 20.

At the moment, it remains unclear how exactly cigarette makers will be made to compensate for the cleanups, though they will also be tasked to educate consumers not to absentmindedly ditch used butts in public spaces.

According to the publication, this measure comes as the country conforms to a directive from the European Union lamping down on single-use plastics, and urging polluters to clean up, or pay for the clean up of, the waste they create. 

In addition to making cigarette companies subsidize the cost of keeping the streets litter-free, other measures will be introduced to help reduce waste and encourage recycling as a whole across the country. 

The new legislation, which kicks into effect this week, includes a ban on single-use plastic cutlery and tableware, cotton buds, expanded polystyrene cups, and plastic straws, and limiting the use of plastic food packaging. 

[via The Guardian and Thred, cover image via Lostafichuk | Dreamstime.com]