An initiative launched by the Monte-Carlo Casino to prevent discarded cigarette butts from polluting the seas has expanded into a full-scale operation encompassing the entire Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group (SBM).
Currently, it is estimated that around 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are polluting our planet. These butts stubbornly refuse to biodegrade and release a harmful cocktail of toxic and carcinogenic substances, contaminating soils, waterways, lakes, and oceans.
Several initiatives in the Principality aim to reduce the risk of cigarette butts reaching the Mediterranean, including the Zéro Mégot campaign run by the Mairie de Monaco and signs around Place du Casino reminding the public to use rubbish bins and avoid littering. The Monte-Carlo Casino took it a step further by collecting a massive amount of discarded butts and partnering with TchaoMégot, a French company specializing in recycling cigarette butts into useful items like thermal insulation without using water or chemicals.
So far, around 56,000 butts have been sent to TchaoMégot and transformed into 15.8kg of insulation, saving 28 million litres of water and reducing CO2 emissions by 197kg compared to traditional methods.
This innovative idea has gained traction and is now supported by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group. Recently, some of this insulation was used at Monte-Carlo Beach, and the hotel has also started collecting cigarette butts for TchaoMégot.