Every minute, millions of cigarette filters end up as litter around the world. A large share lands on streets, in forests, along beaches, and across waterways. These filters take well over a decade to break down and cause lasting damage to ecosystems. In response, Spain is tightening its approach to waste and contaminated soils with new regulations. Beginning January 6, the regulatory framework will apply to tobacco companies, who will bear the costs of collecting and recycling cigarette butts.
The measure appears in legislation approved by the Congress of Deputies last spring. The text notes that the tobacco industry will need time to prepare ahead of its full implementation this January. Once the new rules come into force, tobacco companies will be responsible for collecting cigarette butts from public spaces and for funding their treatment. The regulation is expected to publish further details on January 6, including a breakdown of duties related to these polluting residues.
Another key obligation for the tobacco sector is public education. The new rules require cigarette manufacturers to inform and educate citizens about why littering butt ends is harmful and how to prevent it. The legislation emphasizes costs connected with developing alternatives and measures to reduce waste generation and boost material recovery.
How much does it cost to collect discarded cigarette butts?
There are no precise figures yet for the overall cost of enforcing the new measure. A study by the Rezero Foundation estimates that Catalan municipalities spend between 12 and 21 euros per resident on butt collection. Today, millions of butts remain scattered on land, with total annual projections around 2,720 tons. Approximately 70 percent of these end up on the ground. In urban areas, the density of cigarette butts averages about 0.1 per square meter, and beach cleanups report that more than a quarter of collected waste consists of cigarette ends. In Catalan forests, butt litter is linked to more than 300 fires over the last ten years.
The policy requiring tobacco companies to cover collection costs is not the only strategy under consideration to tackle this issue. Reports from the Prensa Ibérica group indicate that Catalonia’s Climate Action Department is exploring a proposed fee of 20 cents per cigarette to incentivize recycling. This idea, still in early stages and subject to parliamentary discussion, would raise the price of cigarettes by roughly four euros per pack to encourage smokers to return butts to recycling points. If adopted, the fee would be fully refundable once the butt is properly recycled.