Plastic in filters: the new European regulations

At the end of December 2020, the European directive on reducing the environmental impact of certain plastic components was adopted in the European Union. This regulation requires warnings to be placed on plastic products, including tobacco products containing a filter.[1].

Applied from July 3, 2021, each package must include the warning below. The latter must be visible, its message clearly readable and indelible (“ The filter contains plastic "), in the official language or languages of the Member State in which the package is offered for sale. However, this marking obligation must not be to the detriment of the good readability of the health warnings, which in the European Union 65% cover the surface of the two main sides of the package. Manufacturers will, however, have the option of affixing a sticker until July 4, 2022, in order to have time to comply with the requirements of this new directive.

The filter, a diceastrand environmental and health

Every year, it is estimated that 6 trillion cigarettes are placed on the market across the world, half of which are thrown into the environment after consumption. However, most cigarettes contain a filter made of cellulose acetate which takes years to decompose. In this way, the filter constitutes one of the main waste recorded in nature. For example, cigarette butts and filters constitute no less than 40% of waste in the Mediterranean Sea. This data is all the more problematic as the filter actually has no justification from a public health point of view. The latter is a solution developed by the tobacco industry to respond to consumers' initial concerns about the potential risks of smoking on their health. However, far from reducing the dangers of consumption, the filter allows the smoker to take larger, more prolonged puffs, increasing the toxicity and addictiveness of the product.

A measure to denormalize smoking and its industry

This new regulation is in compliance with the requirements of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), emphasizing the need for Parties to inform citizens of the health and social impact , economic and environmental of tobacco production and consumption.

[1] FCTC, New Tuesdayking on tobacco products filters containing plastic in the European Union, consulted on 01/19/2021