Cigarette waste (predominantly butts) has been classified as the single most littered item in the world. Cigarette filters are produced from non-biodegradable plastic which contain up to 7,000 toxic chemicals. These chemicals, making their way into groundwater and waterbodies, have a severe impact on ecosystems. In Montreal, it is estimated that 30% of the litter found on the streets and in public spaces are cigarette butts, which eventually will end up in the runoff and then our waterbodies. The perimeters of Concordia University are not an exception…We believe that our research project  will help bridge the gap between cigarette pollution and Concordia’s sustainability policy and improve our university’s practices in ecological sustainability.

Themes: Community, Waste, Education