Special cigarette butt bins to be installed in Cyprus

Tobacco producers and importers have reached an agreement with local authorities to implement a law passed nearly two years ago, which mandates a collection system for tobacco product waste containing filters.

According to representatives from the Department of Environment, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, and the Union of Cyprus Communities speaking in parliament, the licensing of a collective management system for such waste is in its final stages. The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, is expected to sign the document in the coming days.

The new system will involve installing specialized cigarette butt bins in public spaces, including parks, promenades, and beaches. The goal is to reduce pollution and ensure the organized collection and disposal of waste.

The system will be operated by CPC RETHINK FILTERS LTD, and the program will function under the "REFILTERS" brand. Authorities anticipate that this initiative will help decrease the volume of cigarette litter in public areas, where pollution levels have been rising in recent years.