Tobacco and nicotine products significantly burden the environment

Tobacco and nicotine products burden the environment throughout their entire life cycle. Harm is caused from the production of raw materials and manufacturing all the way to use and disposal as waste.

Tobacco and nicotine products are a major source of littering. Approximately 4,500 billion cigarette butts end up in the environment worldwide each year.

More than 700 million kilograms of toxic waste are generated annually from cigarette butts, ending up on streets, green areas, beaches and in waterways. Cigarette butts are the most common single type of plastic litter found in the environment globally, and the situation is the same in Finland.

Chemicals from tobacco cultivation and cigarette butts end up in nature

Fertilizers and pesticides used in tobacco cultivation burden the soil and also end up in waterways, while farmland becomes rapidly depleted.

The production of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes also affects the environment. Nicotine production requires chemical processing, e-cigarettes use metals and battery materials, and the manufacturing, packaging and transport of products increase energy consumption and emissions.

Cigarette butts, nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes release nicotine and other harmful chemicals into nature. In addition, cigarette filters contain cellulose acetate, which breaks down into microplastics in the environment.

Cigarette butts and nicotine pouches thrown into the environment can cause even fatal nicotine poisoning in pets and wildlife.

Being nicotine-free benefits health and the environment

In addition to environmental harms, filters in tobacco products maintain consumers’ misleading perceptions of safer products. Filters do not prevent or reduce the harms of smoking.

The World Health Organization has recommended banning filters in tobacco products for health and environmental reasons.

The most effective way to reduce the environmental and health harms of tobacco and nicotine products is to prevent use and support cessation. Every cigarette, nicotine pouch or e-cigarette not used reduces deforestation, water consumption, emissions and littering.

Municipalities have an important role in preventing tobacco waste

The everyday activities of people are also crucial in preventing littering. Municipalities must provide information and advice in their area to prevent and reduce tobacco waste.

Producers of tobacco products and nicotine pouches must compensate municipalities for the costs of preventing and cleaning up litter caused by their products.

For this reason, municipalities can annually apply for compensation from the Finnish Supervisory Agency, for example for communication aimed at reducing littering and encouraging residents to act responsibly. Communication must be clearly related to the prevention of littering, and the tobacco and nicotine industry must not participate in its planning or implementation.

The obligation for producers of single-use plastics to cover clean-up costs has been in force since 2023 for tobacco products with filters. The cost responsibility of nicotine pouch producers will begin at the start of 2027.