Canada – TerraCycle’s ‘Cigarette Waste Brigade’ programme in Canada has proved to be a major success, with more than 5 million discarded cigarette filters collected and recycled since its launch in 2012. Now, the company is setting a target of 10 million filters for the second year of the project. ‘Cigarette butts are one of the planet’s most ubiquitous waste streams,’ comments TerraCycle’s founder Tom Szaky. ‘With such a successful first year under our belts, we’re urging all Canadians to consider joining us in 2013.’
Stubs transformed into plastics
TerraCycle’s campaign against ‘the most littered item worldwide’ saw virtually every element of the cigarette stubs recycled – from their inner foil, outer wrap and unused tobacco to the remaining ashes. The incoming cigarette filters and packaging are being recycled into various plastic products for industrial use such as pallets, while the ash, leftover paper and tobacco are composted according to industry guidelines.
The scheme is the result of TerraCycle’s partnership with Imperial Tobacco Canada. It has the support of 100 organisations and of 50 000 people who ‘banded together’ behind the programme, says Szaky.
For more information, visit: www.terracycle.com
Source: Solid Waste & Recycling
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