WHO "Cigarette Filters Cause Serious Environmental Damage... Should Be Banned"

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The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on the 31st that smoking causes significant harm not only to individual health but also to the environment, and called for a ban on the manufacture and use of cigarette filters.

Cigarette filters are perceived to play a role in filtering harmful substances, but their health benefits have not been verified.

On the other hand, cigarette filters containing microplastics are a definite and major factor in environmental pollution.

According to the report released by WHO on the occasion of "World No Tobacco Day," titled "Tobacco: Polluting Our Planet," approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette filters are discarded annually into oceans, rivers, roads, floors, and beaches.

Additionally, it was found that 8 million people die each year due to tobacco production and consumption, 600 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land, and 22 billion tons of water disappear, and 84 million tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere.

Furthermore, the processes of tobacco production, processing, and transportation generate a carbon footprint equivalent to one-fifth of the civil aviation industry, accelerating global warming.

WHO urged, "Countries should impose greater responsibility on tobacco manufacturers for cleaning up tobacco waste while recommending a ban on cigarette filters."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.