Filters used in tobacco products are posing a significant threat to public health and the environment. The EU is at the forefront of combating tobacco filters’ negative environmental impacts through the EU’s Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive.
Single-use plastics are made wholly or partly of plastic and are typically intended to be used just once or briefly before they are thrown away. The directive banned some single-use plastic products for which alternatives can be easily used.
Tobacco filters are specifically tackled by the SUP Directive, which highlights that they are the second most found single-use plastic item on beaches in the EU.
This report provides insights and analysis around the subject of single-use plastic filters, looking at both European and global developments.