What is a “Greenbutt”?

​​A “Greenbutt” is a biodegradable cigarette or roll your own (RYO) filter made from natural materials using no chemicals or artifical binders.  



How did you come up with this concept?

​​Spent cigarette filters are the #1 source of litter across the globe.  One of the unintended consequences of smoking being banned in bars and restaurants is that smokers have been pushed outdoors to enjoy a smoke, where ashtrays are not as readily available. The negative impact of these cigarette butts on the environment has been well documented.  Our mission is to rid the environment of this unnecessary blight by creating a high quality, rapidly biodegradable filter, which is made up of compostable materials.



Aren't all cigarette butts biodegradable?

The synthetic materials in today's mono-acetate cigarette filters can take up to 15 years to breakdown, however, being a synthetic material, it will only dissipate rather than biodegrade. In contrast, our all-natural filters have been shown to biodegrade in approximately one month or less, depending on environmental conditions.



Are you telling me that using your filters will make smoking healthy?​

Greenbutts makes no claims that smoking cigarettes with our filters is a healthy alternative.  The fact is that humans have smoked for millennia. As long as people continue to smoke, we believe that mitigating the environmental hazards associated with cigarette litter is a noble and worthwhile goal.



Doesn't creating a biodegradable cigarette filter encourage more littering?​

Greenbutts neither condones nor encourages littering of any cigarette butts anytime.  Anti-littering laws are in place for all litter, whether it be biodegradable or not.  We recognize that irresponsible people will do irresponsible things, including littering cigarette butts.  We encourage people to dispose of their spent filters in ashtrays or other trash receptacles. If some of our filters happen to wind up discarded irresponsibly, at least we can be happy knowing that it will quickly biodegrade and not be litter for long.



When will these be on the market?

Our goal is to have Greenbutts filters as an option and on store shelves by 2014.



​Will you make RYO (Roll Your Own) filters as well?
Yes.



​Who are your development partners?
Our research and development partner is the Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute (NIRI), which is part of the University of Leeds, UK.  NIRI is a preeminent researcher of cellulosic and fibrous materials.

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