Chemist, UvA lecturer and science communicator Pim Linnenbank shows in an episode of Maar Natuurlijk (part of Vroege Vogels) just how harmful an abandoned filter really is. Or, as he puts it himself: “In three ways you screw over nature.”

1. Nicotine
   The filter retains a considerable amount of nicotine. Nicotine is surprisingly toxic. For an adult, half a millilitre can already be fatal. For insects and other small animals it is even more poisonous. Nicotine is produced by the tobacco plant as an insecticide and the nicotine left in a cigarette butt can be deadly for many insects.
2. Tar and other harmful compounds
   Used filters contain tar with various toxic substances. These slowly leach into soil and water. In the episode they placed a few cigarette butts in a small bottle of water to show which substances leak out.
3. Microplastics
   Cigarette filters are made of a plastic called cellulose acetate. This plastic breaks down extremely slowly and disintegrates into microplastics.

This message aligns with the UvA’s ambition to be completely smoke free. Cigarettes are an underestimated source of pollution on and around our campuses.

In short: do not smoke on campus and if you smoke elsewhere always throw your cigarette butt in a bin, not in nature.

The information about cigarette filters and their environmental impact comes from a message by Pim Linnenbank and the episode of Maar Natuurlijk.

You can watch the clips here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5hM9iRQfBEExternal link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxX1c1LWneAExternal link