Tobacco Manufacturers will be liable to pay for the cleaning expenses. Each year, tons of cigarette leftovers are produced all over the world. The cost of cleaning them up is significantly high. Smoking tobacco is a very harmful practice. It is toxic to both the environment and human life.
The smoking of cigarettes releases harmful substances into the air. The toxins released are mainly carbon. These carbons get trapped into the atmosphere and result in the greenhouse effect. This effect is responsible for the rising temperatures of the Earth. Global warming has some serious adverse effects on the planet.
The carbon content present in cigarettes is also very deadly for humans. Long-term consumption can cause problems in the heart and lungs. Smoking is also a big contributor to cancer. The French government has initiated a new bill. It states that the Tobacco Manufacturers will bear the cost of cleaning the butts of cigarettes. Let us learn more about the implementation below.
Tobacco Manufacturers To Be Charged €100m?
The implementation will make the tobacco manufacturers pay almost €100m for clean-up. The government of France estimated that the said amount was spent annually for cleanups. The cost of cleaning the butts was acquired from the locals so far. However, according to the new rule, that will not be the case anymore. The manufacturers will have to bear the brunt of environmental pollution.
Barbara Pompili is the Minister of Ecology. Pompili stated that almost over 23billion butts of cigarettes are produced per year. Most of the leftovers are not disposed of properly. According to the minister, a single butt is capable enough to contaminate waters up to 500L. The butts are not easily decomposable. Many marine animals eat them and end up getting choked.
Read: France Deforestation Ban: Commitment To Ban Imports By 2030
In order to put an end to the hazard, an €80m organization has been proposed. The organization would be funded by deposits from tobacco manufacturers. The collected amount will be utilized in cleaning up all the remains of cigarettes. Pompili stated that the cost would be taken up by the manufacturers. No extra charges can be levied on cigarettes to make up for the cost.
