Environmental groups collect 400,000 cigarette butts, call for littering penalties

Environmental organizations Čisteći medvjedići and RokOtok have collected over 400,000 cigarette butts during their three-year 'Baci čik u koš' campaign. A recent collection event in Nova Kapela alone yielded a record 8,500 butts.

Campaign founder Perica Štefan warned that cigarette filters, which contain plastic in the form of cellulose acetate, are difficult to decompose and release harmful substances into soil and water. He noted that globally, an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded improperly each year, with approximately 80 percent being thrown in the wrong places.

To address the issue, Štefan is calling on the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and local governments to implement clear and enforceable penalties for littering cigarette butts. The campaign, launched in September 2023 in collaboration with Ribafiš, has organized over 80 collection events across Croatia, including Zagreb, Križevci, and Varaždin, as well as international actions in Ljubljana, Austria, Zurich, and Gibraltar.