Who is actually defending the cigarette filter? The public consultation for the Single-Use Plastic Directive saw an impressive wave of citizen engagement. But while the vast majority called for a ban on cigarette filters, a specific group fought back, explicitly defending the material of the filter; cellulose acetate. Our investigation into these “concerned citizens” revealed

The thriving bottom-up movement created by litterpickers plays an important role in growing global support for a cigarette filter ban. The fight against cigarette filter pollution is fought both in board rooms and on the ground. A rapidly growing number of litterpickers are working hard locally and regionally to put cigarette filters on the agenda

And just like that, the open consultation for the evaluation of the Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD) of the European Union has closed—and what a consultation it was! There is no doubt that cigarette filters are firmly placed on the agenda for the 2027 revision! Out of 531 total submissions, 186 mentioned cigarette filters. Even more