What we do

Our Mission

We are funded by the California Tobacco Control Program through the Sierra Club to raise awareness across the state of California about the harms of tobacco product waste on people, animals and the environment. Tobacco industry targeting of low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, rural communities, and those suffering from mental illness has created a social, environmental, and climate injustice that must be remedied.

Why tobacco product waste?

• Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable plastic.

• Research shows cigarette filters are ineffective at reducing smoking harms.

• Cigarettes and e-cigarettes leach hazardous, toxic chemicals into the environment.

• Cigarette filters are the most commonly littered item on the planet and are difficult, if not impossible to recycle.

• Lithium-ion batteries in e-cigarettes have been known to explode..

• Growing tobacco contributes to deforestation.

• Cigarette manufacturing and production contributes to climate change.

• The tobacco industry often employs child labor.