Butt Emissions: Study Finds Even Extinguished Cigarettes Give Off Toxins
Comment: Recent studies on Thai beaches show that tobacco product wastes (TPW) are both unwanted plastic waste and environmental pollution threats. The study below adds to our understanding of how cigarette butts contribute to airborne toxins at locations such as beaches.
“Results in this study indicate that increased temperature increased the rate at which all target chemicals were emitted from the butts in both chamber and outdoor experiments. In addition, water exposure has considerable influence on the emission rates from butts. Seven of the eight chemicals were emitted faster from butts at a 50% RH [relative humidity] compared to a 25% RH. For butts discarded in dry environments, increasing the relative humidity can result in water competition for sorption sites with the target chemicals, which would enhance the emission rate of target chemicals.”
Poppendieck D, Gong M, Pham V. Influence of temperature, relative humidity, and water saturation on airborne emissions from cigarette butts. Science of The Total Environment. Volume 712, 10 April 2020, 136422 Available online 5 January 2020.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719364186
By Stephen Hamann
