KOCHI: It was two years ago that Naman Gupta and Vishal Kanet, who were at a party, noticed how many cigarettes were smoked and thrown away nonchalantly. Out of curiosity, they turned to the internet to see what happens to the thousands of cigarette butts thrown away every day. During the research, they found out that it is not cotton but cellulose acetate, a certain type of plastic, that is used in the cigarette butt.
After extensive research regarding cigarette waste management and recycling, in July 2016, CODE, a zero-waste company, was launched. CODE (Conserve Our Depleting Environment) is all set to enter Kochi too, with an aim to recycle cigarette butts which otherwise would take 10-12 years to decompose, that too partially.
“All that you have to do is collect the butts and give us a call when a sufficient amount is collected. We will connect you to the nearest associate who will collect your contribution and also pay for your service”, the 24-year-old Naman Gupta tells Express.He adds: “We see that as a service and bear the transportation charges in such cases. At present, associates in Chennai and Bengaluru are handling all the cigarette waste that is collected from South India. We will soon be appointing an associate for Kerala as well,” he added.
The company which started collecting cigarette butts from 70 customers, today has a network of 55 associates, spread across 12 states, collecting cigarette waste from over 4,000 customers across the country.
“Ragpickers, cigarette vendors, corporates and individual smokers, help in the collection process, of which maximum amount of stubs are received from the first two categories. People can either purchase a VBin from us or simply collect them in any container,” said Vishal Kanet.The recycling unit in Noida currently receives 500 kg of cigarette waste every month. The paper and burnt tobacco being biodegradable are reduced to manure. Whereas, the polymer is treated to produce a polycotton blend which is turned into customised cushion covers and keychains.
Vishal is convinced that environmental benefits are not the only positive effect of the initiative. “Collecting the stubs of the cigarette you have smoked away acts as a shock therapy for many”, he added. “When most people believe that the butt is the most hygienic part of a cigarette, creating awareness about the hazards of cigarette waste poses the biggest challenges. The small size of the stub, the negative attitude tagged with smoking and lack of a policy regarding, are other barriers”. They also have plans to launch new products like mattresses, quilts, air filters and chimneys to reduce the health hazards of smoking.