Biodegradable cigarette filter helps clear streets of discarded butts

Greenbutts is a cigarette filter made of organic material that biodegrades in weeks.

While Throw & Grow event confetti has ensured that hosts don’t have a guilty conscience about the mess on the floor by having them turn into wildflowers, could this kind of technology be applied to more quotidian littering? Greenbutts is a cigarette filter made of organic material that biodegrades in weeks.

Made out of a blend of flax, hemp and cotton, the filters have been designed to fit pre-made cigarettes as well as roll-ups. While typical cellulose acetate filters mean that cigarette butts are harmful to the environment and can lie in the street for up to 15 years before they disintegrate, Greenbutts biodegrade in just a few weeks. Due to the organic materials involved in its production, it also improves the quality of the smoke by reducing the number of synthetic chemicals present.

According to the company, research from the International Coastal Cleanup found that cigarette butts constituted 30 percent of all the trash collected from the world’s beaches in the last 25 years. Could Greenbutts help reduce the impact smokers have on the environment?