Denver is suing Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds, and other major tobacco companies in Colorado state court, seeking to recover municipal costs associated with cleaning up discarded cigarette filters. The city alleges manufacturers knowingly shifted the environmental and cleanup costs of cigarette litter onto taxpayers.
The lawsuit argues that cigarette filters are synthetic plastic that does not readily biodegrade and can break down into smaller particles. Denver alleges the companies have long known about the litter problem and are responsible for the resulting cleanup costs. The city is pursuing claims including public nuisance, negligence, product liability, and consumer protection violations.
