Sustainable approach to cigarette butts management: From waste to new building material component

Abstract

The global waste crisis is exacerbated by the massive daily consumption and disposal of millions of cigarettes. An effective solution to address this issue involves repurposing cigarette butts (CBs), offering a promising avenue for waste management. This research focuses on transforming CBs into environmentally sustainable building materials. A comprehensive analysis of the most common types of CBs was conducted to assess their different thermal and acoustic properties. Subsequently, these CBs were integrated at 2.5 wt% in both a gypsum and cement mixture to produce panels for building applications. In addition, the feasibility of introducing a significantly higher concentration of CBs into these mixtures to produce mineralized samples was explored, achieving a CBs: gypsum/cement: water ratio of 1:2:3. All the panels analyzed showed superior thermal and acoustic characteristics compared to traditional ones, demonstrating the potential of this innovative approach. The introduction of CBs enhanced panel thermal properties and acoustic absorption coefficients. Incorporating recycled CBs in building material production promotes the creation of efficient, sustainable products while extending the lifespan of discarded waste. Life Cycle Assessment of a gypsum panel with CBs analyzed emissions, significantly contributing to waste management by reducing emissions and minimizing harmful substance release into the environment.