What really threatens marine pollution is not plastic but 'cigarette filter'

by Mathew MacQuarrie

Waste plastics flow through rivers and oceans and become microscopic " microplastic ", which greatly affects marine pollution . In Taiwan, the use of disposable straws and plastic bags is gradually prohibited in order to solve this situation, and in addition Starbucks announces that it will abolish plastic straw by 2020 . However, in fact, it is reported that plastic straws account for only 0.02% of marine waste , and tobacco (cigarette) has a greater influence.

Plastic straw ban? Cigarette butts are the single greatest source of ocean trash
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/plastic-straw-ban-cigarette-butts-are-single-greatest-source-ocean-n 903661

The total number of cigarettes made every year around the world is 5.6 trillion, of which two-thirds (about 3.7 trillion) are irresponsibly dumped. Most of the cigarette uses plastic called cellulose acetate for the filter and it will take more than 10 years to decompose this in the natural world.

Filters made with cellulose acetate were invented in the mid 1990's to alleviate any adverse effects of tobacco on the body. However, Thomas Novotney, a professor at San Diego State University's Department of Public Health, says, "It's obvious that there are no health benefits to filtering.The filter is just a marketing tool, It will only make it easier to smoke psychologically. " In addition, Mr Novotney said that the filter of tobacco is the main thing of plastic waste, "It is obvious that it can not continue to allow this," and as soon as it should restrict the filter of cigarettes as soon as possible I am appealing.

by Paweł Czerwiński

According to Ocean Conservancy, which has been supporting the cleanup activities of the beach since 1986, the cigarette butts have been collected most often on the world's beaches for 32 consecutive years. This accounts for about one third of the garbage collected on the beach, and the total number in the past 32 years seems to be about 60 million. It is obvious that this is affecting the marine pollution rather than disposable straws etc. because the tobacco filter uses plastic hard to be broken down in the natural world.

Of course, some people throw out the cigarette butts directly on the beach, but in many cases things thrown away in drains and rivers will flow to the sea. The cigarette butts of such a littered tobacco will be gradually decomposed into fine microplastic parts gradually. It is also announced that microplastic has been detected from about three-quarters of the stomach of fish inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean and Middle Deep Sea Aquifer, as this microplastic has a major impact on sea creatures.

Pollutant "microplastic" was in the stomach of fish in 73% of the Atlantic · Middle deep sea water layer - GIGAZINE

The tobacco cigarette butterfly littering tobacco contains synthetic fibers and hundreds of chemical substances besides plastics, so Mr. Novottony said that the cigarette butts of what kind are in soil and rivers · They are thinking that they want to study whether they are lurking in the sea or the like.

by Shoshon

Cigarette makers are investigating the use of filters in the mid-20th century to eliminate concerns about the health effects of tobacco. However, in this study it was suggested that using a filter can not properly control carcinogens by tobacco. Mr. Bradford Harris, a graduate of the Graduate School of Science and Technology History at Stanford University, also conducts a survey on tobacco filters and said that the filter has not played a role in reducing substances that may adversely affect the human body I point out.

To address the problem of tobacco, cigarette makers are also asked to do a campaign to distribute portable ashtray, or to set up signboards "Do not leave your cigarettes on the beach" at thirty coastal cities, various measures We are doing. Recently, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, which manufactures American spirit , is engaged in filter recycling activities, and we are aggressively campaigning to distribute 4 million as many portable ashtray annually.

However, experts point out that these campaigns have not had any impact on solving essential problems. In other words, even if it leads to improving the image of cigarettes, it does not lead to solving the cigarette littering problem.

by Bin Thiều

Why smokers are uncomfortable and they litter their cigarette but why is not clear, but it is clear that some people misunderstand that tobacco filters are biodegradable . Actually, tobacco makers also make efforts to replace filters with biodegradable ones. However, the paper filter prototype seems to have made smoke taste bad, and other filters made of other materials, such as cotton filters, did not finish in a satisfactory quality.

Greenbutts in San Diego is a startup that succeeded in developing a filter made of organic matter which decomposes rapidly with soil and water. Greenbutts organic matter filter is composed of Manila hemp, Tencel wood pulp, and it is bonded with natural starch, so it will not remain unresolved in nature.

Tadas Lisauskas, co-founder of Greenbutts, has revealed that its products are already on the market and is said to be able to offer at a lower price if mass-produced. However, he said that government support is essential for spreading this organic filter more seriously, he said, "I expect the government to encourage the use of our products" .