Indonesia Faces Mounting Crisis as Cigarette Butt Pollution Chokes Cities and Seas
Indonesia is grappling with a pervasive and largely unregulated environmental threat: cigarette butt waste. A growing chorus of environmental advocates is criticizing the nation’s lack of policy addressing the toxic legacy of discarded cigarette filters, which contribute significantly to microplastic pollution and pose serious health risks. The issue was the central focus of a public discussion, “Jejak Sampah Rokok di Tiap Langkah: Menagih Akuntabilitas Industri” (Tracing Cigarette Butt Waste Every Step of the Way: Holding the Industry Accountable), held online on November 17, 2025.
A recent brand audit conducted by Lentera Anak in the Greater Jakarta area revealed the scale of the problem. Volunteers collected 18,062 pieces of cigarette waste over 19 hours, covering 67,204 square meters of public space – including sidewalks, bus stops, schools, and parks. A staggering 93% of this waste consisted of cigarette butts, traced back to six major national manufacturers. The audit found an average density of four cigarette butts per square meter, and in 100 square meters, researchers discovered 400 butts alongside 10 discarded cigarette packaging items.
These findings, according to Effie Herdi, Campaign Coordinator of Lentera Anak, underscore the substantial contribution of the cigarette industry to plastic pollution, the proliferation of microplastics, and the introduction of toxic contaminants into public areas. “There is a need for firm government action to implement the Polluter Pays principle,” Herdi stated, emphasizing the industry’s responsibility for the costs associated with cleanup, environmental restoration, and the broader ecological damage caused by its products. She further urged that cigarette waste be immediately incorporated into the National Action Plan for Waste Management and public health policies as a systematic approach to controlling plastic pollution.
The problem extends far beyond Jakarta. Globally, more than 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded annually, making them the most common plastic waste worldwide and accounting for 30-40% of coastal waste, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Indonesia, with a consumption rate of 322 billion cigarette sticks per year, is estimated to generate over 100,000 tons of cigarette butt waste annually, establishing it as a primary source of unregulated plastic and toxic pollution. Research from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) indicates an average of one cigarette butt per square meter on 18 Indonesian beaches. Furthermore, studies by Zhao & You highlight Indonesia’s position as having the highest microplastic consumption rate globally, with some of this contamination originating from the marine food chain due to cigarette butt pollution. Data from the Ocean Conservancy (2022-2024) shows a dramatic increase in cigarette butts found on beaches worldwide – rising from 1.1 million to 1.9 million in just two years – a trend attributed to lax regulations and a lack of industry accountability.
Despite mounting scientific evidence demonstrating the presence of toxic substances and heavy metals in cigarette butts, Indonesia currently classifies them as household waste. This means the financial burden of cleanup falls entirely on the public and local governments. A senior official from the Ministry of Environment confirmed this classification, highlighting a critical gap in national regulations. This approach stands in contrast to recommendations from both the WHO (2019) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) (2024), which emphasize that the burden of tobacco pollution is systemic and must be addressed at the producer level. “Cigarette butt pollution is a daily phenomenon in urban public spaces that occurs systematically and extensively,” Herdi explained. “This pollution is not due to individual behavior, but a structural consequence of product design and the absence of regulation.”
The hazardous nature of cigarette butts stems from their composition. Researcher Muhammad Reza Cordova, from the BRIN Oceanography Research Center, explained that cigarette filters, made of cellulose acetate, are slow to decompose and have the potential to break down into microplastics over time. Moreover, cigarette butts contain nicotine, heavy metals like lead, cadmium, nickel, and arsenic, and other toxic compounds that can contaminate marine organisms. This contamination poses significant health risks to humans through bioaccumulation and the transfer of contaminants via the marine food chain, particularly for coastal communities. “Of all these factors, cigarette butts are very suitable to be categorized as B3 waste because they have an impact on ecosystem and human health,” Cordova asserted.
However, current efforts to hold the industry accountable, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, are viewed with skepticism. Fajri Fadhillah, Senior Regional Campaign Strategist at Greenpeace Southeast Asia, argues that EPR is insufficient and risks becoming a form of “greenwashing.” “Tobacco products are addictive, toxic, and not beneficial, so the EPR approach is at risk of becoming a form of greenwashing and does not reduce consumption,” Fadhillah stated. This sentiment is echoed by Mary Assunta, Senior Policy Advisor at SEATCA, who points to instances where cigarette companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities – such as mobilizing volunteers to collect waste on World Environment Day – as a means of masking their environmental impact. Assunta noted that these actions are often performative, designed to create a positive public image while failing to address the root cause of the problem. She also highlighted the deceptive design of cigarette filters, which falsely imply safety while exacerbating lung health risks and rendering the products non-recyclable. According to Assunta, the tobacco industry offers no benefits throughout its entire lifecycle, from cultivation to consumption and waste disposal.
Daru Setyorini, a member of AZWI and Executive Director of ECOTON, believes that continued production and disposal of cigarette filters represent a denial of the industry’s role in the plastic waste crisis. She advocates for binding producer accountability mechanisms that require all manufacturers to take responsibility for the prevention and management of product and packaging waste. Ultimately, addressing the cigarette butt pollution crisis requires a fundamental shift in policy and a commitment from the industry to internalize the environmental costs of its products. Without such action, Indonesia’s cities and seas will continue to be choked by the toxic legacy of cigarette waste.
