A sweeping ban on smoking in outdoor public spaces is expected to help stub out the scourge of cigarette butts – France’s most common form of litter – from beaches, parks and bus stops.
The new rules, which came into effect at the weekend, prohibit smoking on beaches during bathing season, in public parks, and at bus stops during operating hours.
Smokers are also barred from lighting up near schools, libraries, swimming pools and sports grounds. Anyone caught breaking the ban faces a fine of €135, which can rise to €750 for serious cases.
Tonnes of waste
Each year French smokers toss away up to 25,000 tonnes of cigarette butts – more than twice the weight of the Eiffel Tower.
The filters are made of plastic, not cotton, and break apart into tiny fibres that leach chemicals into soil and water.
By stopping cigarette litter at the source, the ban should make a noticeable difference, said Chris Dorsett, vice president of conservation at Ocean Conservancy.
The US-based non-profit, which works to protect the world’s oceans, has run its International Coastal Cleanup – a global network of volunteers who collect rubbish from beaches and waterways – since 1986.
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In that time more than 63 million cigarette butts have been collected worldwide. In Europe alone, more than 320,000 were picked up from coasts and waterways last year.
“Cigarette butts are unfortunately a problem across the globe in terms of the number we find,” Dorsett said.
“The two big problems are that they are made up of microplastics that break down into smaller pieces and pose a problem for marine wildlife.
“Microplastics can interfere with the digestive systems of fish species.”
The butts also leak nicotine, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals into sand and water. According to the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 500 litres of water.
Single-use plastic
The filters in cigarette butts are classed as single-use plastics under EU rules.
While the EU has not banned cigarette filters outright, it does make tobacco companies pay for clean-ups under the “polluter pays” rule.
France was the first EU country to force this cost onto the industry, but local councils still spend about €100 million each year clearing up discarded butts.
Environmental groups say many smokers still see filters as harmless waste rather than plastic pollution – something Ocean Conservancy wants to change.
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Few people realise that filters are plastic waste, said Anja Brandon, Ocean Conservancy’s director of plastics policy.
“Many people are surprised to learn that cigarette butts are also single-use plastics. In fact, they are the most common single-use plastic found polluting beaches and waterways worldwide,” Brandon said.
Bans can be an effective tool – especially when combined with other awareness measures, she added.
“When it comes to preventing plastic pollution, we know that bans work. A recent study that analysed plastic bag bans showed these policies lead to a 25 to 47 percent reduction in plastic bag pollution on beaches and waterways where they are implemented.”
'Smoke-free generation'
France wants to create a “smoke-free generation” by 2032 – meaning fewer than 5 percent of 18-year-olds smoking daily. The main aim of the ban is to protect children from second-hand smoke, said French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin.
France has one of the highest smoking rates in Europe, with about 23 percent of adults lighting up every day and around 15 percent of 17-year-olds smoking regularly.
In Paris alone, about two billion cigarette butts end up on the streets each year. Despite the “polluter pays” rule, clean-up costs remain high and awareness is still lacking.
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“It’s easy to toss a cigarette butt on the beach or into the water,” Dorsett explained. “But when people know these generate microplastics, leach chemicals and that children play on the beach, that’s when we see changes in behaviour.”
Environmental groups, however, want France to go further. Café terraces are not included in the new ban and electronic cigarettes are still allowed.
Dorsett said he hopes France’s move will push other countries to act too.
“When countries or municipalities have the courage to take these kinds of measures, you tend to find that others will as well,” he said.
