Denver sues major tobacco firms over costly cigarette filter litter
Denver has filed a state-court lawsuit against Philip Morris USA and several other tobacco companies to recoup expenses incurred cleaning non-biodegradable cigarette filter waste.
In a 72-page complaint, Denver sued Philip Morris USA together with Altria Group, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Reynolds American, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, British American Tobacco, ITG Brands, Liggett Group, Liggett Vector Brands and Peerless Products, alleging that their filtered cigarettes generate persistent plastic litter that burdens municipal resources. The city argues each sale of a filtered cigarette inevitably produces a cellulose-acetate filter that does not biodegrade, fragments into microplastics, and contaminates storm drains and waterways.
Citing historical surveys showing smokers routinely discard butts, Denver contends the manufacturers knowingly designed a product with foreseeable environmental harm. The lawsuit invokes state nuisance, trespass, negligence, product-liability and consumer-protection laws to recover cleanup costs. Representing Denver, attorney Chris Schnieders emphasized that taxpayers should not be left paying for pollution the industry foresaw. The case was assigned to Second Judicial District Judge A. Bruce Jones.
Why it matters
The case could force tobacco makers to pay for municipal cleanup of plastic cigarette litter, shifting costs from taxpayers to industry.
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