TECC Technical Assistance Portfolio 2023-2024

Breath Again Tobacco Prevention

Rack Card

BEFORE

AFTER

Tobacco Waste info

LET'S IDENTIFY

TOBACCO WASTE HURTS US

The Problem

MICROPLASTIC Cigarette butts are made from microplastic called cellulose acetate. Microplastic is

Cigarette butts are made from microplastic called cellulose acetate.

CIGARETTE FILTERS The tobacco industry produces about 6 trillion filtered cigarettes each year.

Microplastics are tiny enough to get into our food chain.

tiny enough to get into our drinking water and food. We eat and breathe it – it’s in our lungs, blood, and stool.

CIGARETTE FILTERS

Which Means

ARE THEY REALLY TRASH ? The toxic chemicals in cigarette butts and vapes officially put them in the category of “toxic waste” and make them nearly impossible to dispose of safely.

The tobacco industry produces an estimated 6 trillion filtered cigarettes each year.

Cigarette butts are the #1 most littered item on Earth.

Microplastics have been found in drinking water, apples, broccoli, lettuce, seafood, and more.

VAPE WASTE Vape waste includes disposable vapes, pods, e-liquid containers, and batteries. 3-IN-1 Vape waste is especially bad for the environment because it is three forms of waste in one: • plastic waste (packaging, pod) • hazardous waste (nicotine residue) • electronic waste (battery, heating element) LEARN MORE Learn more about the environmental impact of tobacco waste: undo.org/ environmental-impact CONTACT US: Breathe Again Tobacco Prevention 707-485-0361 ext. 113 Jaime Gutierrez - outreach@rvrpomo.net Tara Martinez - engagement@rvrpomo.net

FILTERS AND VAPE WASTE ARE TOXIC The chemicals in cigarette butts and vapes are toxic. Tobacco litter and vape

Studies have found microplastics in human lungs, blood, and stool– which means we’re

Cigarette butts are the #1 most littered item on Earth.

ingesting and breathing in these dangerous chemicals.

waste are officially “toxic waste.” This makes it very difficult to dispose of them safely.

Vape Waste

Vape waste is waste associated with vapes, including disposable vapes, pods or cartridges, e-liquid containers and packaging, and vape batteries.

Cigarette butts are the #1 most

discarded item on California beaches and waterways.

3-in-1

Vape waste is especially bad for the environment because it is three forms of waste in one: plastic waste (packaging, pod), hazardous waste (nicotine reservoir, nicotine residue) , and electronic waste (lithium-ion battery, heating element). All of these are hazardous for the environment.

Cigarette filters put us all in danger—the filters do not make smoking safer and they damage all living things. The industry makes filters from microplastic fibers, which pollute our soil, food, and water. New studies suggest these plastics are linked to changes in DNA. They’re destroying our environment—and may wind up inside you and the ones you love.

The industry’s cigarette filters scam could put us all in danger. The industry makes filters from microplastic fibers, which filter practically nothing. Microplastics contaminate our soil, food, and water, and new studies suggest links to mutations in DNA. They’re destroying our environment – and may wind up inside you and the ones you love. tobacco

On California beaches, there are 9x more cigarette butts than plastic straws Cigarette Butts are the #1 most discarded item on California beaches and waterways..

©2023. California Department of Public Health. Funded under grant #20-10653.

Vapes are toxic waste polluting Our Environment - UNDO.org The Environmental Destruction Topic Page (undo.org)

©2023. California Department of Public Health. Funded under grant #20-10653.

TECC Portfolio 2023 - 2024

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