Tobacco product waste (TPW) is the discarded material from commercial tobacco consumption. When tobacco product waste breaks down, it leaches heavy metals, cancer-causing chemicals, nicotine, and microplastics into the surrounding soil or water. In fact, cigarette butts are the most littered plastic item in the world.
Many “downstream” or “midstream” solutions, such as cleaning up tobacco product waste or banning smoking in outdoor areas, are important but only address the impacts of tobacco products that have already been sold. Local municipalities often bear the high cost of keeping streets, sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds free of waste because it reaccumulates so quickly. In 2023, a study of tobacco product waste in San Diego County found that 96% of the waste collected had reaccumulated within two months. “Upstream” solutions like plastic cigarette filter bans target the root cause of the problem.