BENGALURU: With an intention to prevent environmental hazards due to the indiscriminate disposal of cigarette and beedi butts in the city, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is working to place separate bins for collection of the butts, in association with cigarette manufacturers.
BBMP, in line with National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines, is gearing up for scientific collection, transportation and disposal of cigarette butts in the city. BBMP’s Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) is tasked to work with cigarette manufacturers to place ‘dedicated bins’ for the collection of butts at smoking hotspots on a pilot basis.
Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), State Tobacco Control Cell falling under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, will also be writing to the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry to direct manufacturers of cigarettes and beedis to print disposal instructions on packets of tobacco products.
The tobacco control cell will be setting up a committee comprising stakeholders, including the Directorate of Municipal Administration, to formulate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for safe disposal of the butts. Based on BBMP’s pilot project, the process will be replicated across the state, health department sources said.
The KSPCB member secretary, in a letter dated May 4 addressed to Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited, said cigarette and beedi butts are made up of synthetic polymers called cellulose acetate, which is slow/nonbiodegradable plastic. Cellulose acetate is made by esterifying/ bleaching cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid.
He added that there is a need for scientific and safe disposal of the butts, and it should be tackled by tobacco product manufacturers through end-oflife methods such as waste-toenergy or co-processing.
BBMP sources said that based on the KSPCB member secretary’s letter, the Chief General Manager of BSWML on May 9 wrote a letter to ITC Limited, the market leader in cigarette manufacturing, to furnish the compliance report of the pilot project with BBMP, to avoid action by exercising powers conferred under Section 285 of the BBMP Act 2020 and its various provisions, SWM by-laws 2020, hazardous waste (management and handling) rules 2016 and other provisions.