Tobacco litter can pollute the environment if it is not discarded properly
Many people tend to associate the negative impact of smoking with human health, but more studies are discovering the effects this habit and the tobacco industry have on the environment.
Because cultivating tobacco requires abundant use of land, water, pesticides and labour, commercial tobacco farming that is practised in 124 countries has been linked to issues such as deforestation, water and soil depletion, and acidification.
Processing tobacco – the curing of tobacco leaves to produce dry tobacco – is extremely energy intensive as it utilises coal or wood burning. This in itself contributes to greenhouse gas emission.
And if not discarded properly, tobacco litter such as cigarette butts, plastic filters and other remains of smoked cigarette can pollute land, soil and water due to its harmful chemical content.
Therefore, it is significantly important to recognise how every aspect of the tobacco industry and the habit of smoking can be detrimental to the environment.
