10.17 The tobacco industry's response to tobacco litter
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The issue of tobacco-related litter has registered on the corporate responsibility agenda of the tobacco companies operating in Australia, but all distance themselves to some degree from the problem, making it clear that appropriate disposal of waste resulting from their products is not fundamentally their responsibility. Imperial Tobacco's Corporate Responsibility Review 2007,236 declares that 'Consumers have a responsibility to properly dispose of their litter, whether this is cigarette butts, chewing gum, drinks' cans, fast food containers or any other items. We believe the best approach to tackling cigarette litter is for key stakeholders, such as the tobacco industry, government, environmental bodies, business and local communities, to work together to educate and to encourage this.' On its international website, British American Tobacco likewise observes that 'people cause litter,' but adds that it continues to research improved biodegradability of its products.8 Philip Morris engages less directly still, but does note on its international corporate website that out of concern for 'the reduction of waste and of the environmental impact of our packaging,' it has reduced the weight of its cigarette packaging in Australia.5
In Australia, each of the tobacco companies has directly participated in anti-litter campaigns. In 2003, British American Tobacco Australia developed the Butt Littering Trust (BLT), and BATA remains its sole source of funding. The stated intention of the BLT is 'to be Australia's recognised leading organisation on butt littering reduction and provider of Butt-Free Solutions to reduce cigarette butt littering.' Over the 60-plus programs it has funded, chiefly in partnership with local government authorities and the 'Keep Australia Beautiful' organisation, the BLT claims to have reduced butt litter by about 26%.229 Imperial Tobacco Australia236, 237 and Philip Morris Australia238 have also jointly sponsored other butt littering reduction programs with 'Keep Australia Beautiful' in some states. Typically, support is in the form of providing funding and publicity materials including butt bins, posters, stickers and personal ashtrays.
The activities of the Butt Littering Trust have come under some scrutiny. Observers have pondered how an organisation which is entirely funded by a tobacco company can claim to be independent.239, 240 Other factors leading to cynicism about the activities of the BLT and BATA's motivation for funding it concern the Trust's concentration of effort on community education about butt disposal, rather than taking a broader view about reducing tobacco use itself. Added to this, there is evidence that the Trust has acted to further tobacco industry interests by lobbying against the ban of smoking in outdoor eating areas attached to cafés in at least one local government area.239 Funding anti-litter campaigns such as the BLT gives the tobacco industry the opportunity to gain some positive publicity, while keeping strict control of the messages smokers receive, and making useful local government connections along the way.
The BLT's programs do not appear to have been effective. The New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation commented in 2006 that 'Cigarette manufacturers have largely limited their product stewardship activities to funding community education. They appear to consider that such funding fulfils their product stewardship obligations. However, the activities and projects funded have not translated into widespread reduction of cigarette butt litter. The impact of current activities funded by cigarette manufacturers has not delivered a reduction in butt littering.'238 p 21
While urging smokers to 'do the right thing' with their cigarette butts and packets is laudable, it is only a partial solution to the litter problem.239 Actions such as reducing smoking rates, thereby improving public health and eliminating the product 'at source' is an obvious solution but not one likely to be embraced by the tobacco industry. Other initiatives for reducing tobacco-related littering that could be expected to have greater effectiveness include increasing penalties for and enforcement of butt littering regulations, placing a financial levy on tobacco products that is then directed towards litter education and clean up, requiring the tobacco manufacturers to improve biodegradability and reduce packaging of their products, ensuring the installation of proper butt disposal bins at litter 'black spots' such as building entrances,202 and placing obligations on the tobacco companies to meet independently audited litter reduction targets.241
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