Tag: cigarette butts

  • Baltimore Sues Tobacco Companies Over Litter

    Baltimore Sues Tobacco Companies Over Litter

    Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive

    The city of Baltimore is suing several major tobacco companies, requesting as much as $5 million annually for the cleanup of cigarette butt litter, according to WBALTV11.

    Since 2014, more than 12 million cigarette butts have been cleaned up from the waters surrounding Baltimore, city officials said.

    “There are all kinds of cleanup problems, from catching them [cigarette butts] to getting rid of the chemicals they leave in their wake,” said James Shea, Baltimore City solicitor.

    The lawsuit alleges that the tobacco companies have refused to place warnings on their boxes explaining how to properly dispose of filters and that they have chosen not to make filters biodegradable.

    “They didn’t change it—according to documents we’ve seen—to biodegradable filters because smokers preferred the draw that comes with the filter,” Shea said.

    The ultimate goal is to see the companies become more environmentally friendly, according to Shea. “We’d like to have the practice stop, but, in the meantime, we want damages in the nature of cleanup costs and their fines associated with various litter ordinances that are being violated.”

    The companies have 30 days to respond in court.

  • A nickel a butt adds up

    Redemption programs have dramatically reduced the amount of bottles and cans that go into the waste stream. Now a restaurant owner in Portland, Maine, U.S.A. wants to do the same with cigarette butts, according to a story reported on WLBZ.

    Mike Roylos says he’s tired of dealing with butts outside the Spartan Grill. “They’re everywhere. I sweep. They come back. Customers track them in on their shoes,” laments Roylos.

    When the city’s new smoking ordinance failed to stop the butt barrage, Roylos decided to take matters into his own hands. He came up with the “No Butts Now” campaign.

    He supplies a basket of baggies for the public to collect cigarette butts in Monument Square. Using donations from grateful customers, Roylos will buy the butts back for five cents a piece.

    Sure, it’s a little gross..but a nickel’s a nickel. Billy O’Rourke lives a few blocks away at the Oxford Street Shelter and he went right to work as soon as he heard about the campaign. .

    “It’s an opportunity for us homeless guys to be a productive part of society and make a few extra dollars,” said O’Rourke.

    They may be tiny, but those butts add up.