Giving cigarettes a second life: The E-Tijolo project

Abstract

: Portugal presented 1,46 million smokers in 2014, resulting in about 2220 tonnes of cigarette butts per year. Such waste generates several harmful consequences to environment and public health. In this alignment, the current study purposes the incorporation of this waste in ceramic material to minimize its impacts. Cigarret buts were incorporated in clay fired bricks (0%, 2,5% and 5% (w/w)) and tested regarding their compreensive strength, water absortion and density The results achieved with the waste incoporation indicated as expected that the main properties are reduced by the incorporation of cigarrette butts. Moreover, the reduction in dry density implies a decrease of the clay content shoiwing also that this waste has an interisting potential in the production of clay fired bricks.