Dubbed CiggB, the project began in 2016 and has so far recycled 400 kg of cigarette butts.
“If you walk even 100 meters in this city, you will be sure to find cigarette butts,” project lead Arnav Soni tells Indian Express. “They are non-biodegradable, so we decided that recycling them is the best option.”
First, the butts are separated into paper, tobacco and cellulose. The program employs women in low-income areas, who then use the cellulose as a filling for cushions.
“We currently employ about 20-30 women for the segregation process and 10-15 for stitching,” Soni adds. “Basic training has been provided by CODE (Conserve Our Depleting Environment), a cigarette recycling company we partnered with,” Soni said.
The cushions are available online.