RheinCleanup: Düsseldorf collect against cigarette waste from May 16 to 23!

RheinCleanup: Düsseldorf collect against cigarette waste from May 16 to 23!

On May 4, 2025, the Rheinecleanup environmental initiative announces an important action to reduce cigarette waste. The aim is to collect over 200,000 cigarette filters as part of the upcoming tipping week 2025. Cigarette filters are often widespread in urban areas and are often improperly disposed of at sidewalks, stops as well as in parks and at playgrounds. According to the WHO estimates, more than a million cigarette filters are thrown away every day in Düsseldorf. Joachim Umbach, initiator of the campaign, calls on the Düsseldorfer to collect cigarette remains in their environment.

The tipping week 2025 takes place from May 16 to 23 and will reach its climax on May 23 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Schadowstraße (next to P&C). Düsseldorf participants can dispose of their collected cigarette filters in special RCU tipping pillars. Participation is open to everyone: individuals, associations, companies and neighborhood groups are cordially invited. If you need support from the organization, you can contact you by email to info@rhinecleanup.org or by phone at 0174/267 8636 (on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.)

Environmental consequences of cigarette waste

The environmental impact of cigarette filters is enormous. Not only that they consist of cellulose acetate, a material that is very slowly decomposed and produces microplastics, but a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 40 liters of water. Cigarette stubs emit toxic and carcinogenic substances on soils, water and seas. It is frightening that cigarettes worldwide represent the most commonly thrown away type of waste, whereby they often identify 30 to 40 % of the waste in clean-up campaigns, as oceane.org . In addition, cigarette waste contains over 7,000 toxic chemicals, including 250 harmful and 69 carcinogenic substances.

The dimension of the problem becomes even clearer when you consider that hundreds of thousands of tips were collected in certain clean-up campaigns in cities such as Zurich and from schools in Switzerland. For many cities, the littering of cigarette stubs is a social problem. The growing environmental awareness of the citizens is shown in actions like in Düsseldorf.

Initiatives to combat plastic pollution

There are already approaches to combat plastic pollution through cigarette filters. Some start-ups negotiate with large tobacco companies about environmentally friendly filter solutions. Nevertheless, experts like Novotny and Hendlin doubt that these new filters will solve the problem of carelessly throwing away. E-cigarettes and their liquid pods also contribute to the problem, since their disposal is often insufficiently regulated.

At the same time, various organizations and initiatives, including Stephan von Orlow, demand a pledge system for cigarette filters with his “Die Stickers” project to promote recycling and to raise awareness of the waste problem. The governments of some countries such as India and New Jersey are already taking measures to counteract plastic pollution through cigarettes.

The tipping week 2025 is not just a local initiative, but an appeal to all citizens to take responsibility for their environment and actively participate in creating a clean, worth living in.