Tobacco products harm the environment and people. The tobacco industry is not an ordinary industry, as its products are addictive, cause serious diseases, and lead to over 9,200 deaths annually in Switzerland. At the same time, the industry is responsible for significant environmental pollution throughout the entire lifecycle of its products: from tobacco cultivation to waste disposal, including production, distribution, and consumption.
Environmental campaigns as a strategic distraction. Despite this, the tobacco industry presents itself as part of the solution with its own littering or environmental campaigns, even though it is a main cause of the problem. Its engagement in environmental policy solutions does not follow a desire for effective prevention but a strategic goal: the improvement of the image of a product whose harmful effects on health and the environment are widely documented.
The 'Round Table Against Cigarette Littering' by the BAFU as a platform for greenwashing. This approach, commonly known as greenwashing, is particularly evident here: For four years, the BAFU has been providing companies and associations in the tobacco and nicotine industry with the 'Round Table Against Cigarette Littering', a platform where they can promote their pseudosolutions and present themselves as responsible partners. Until a few weeks ago, no environmental or prevention organisations were invited to this round table.
Environmental and tobacco prevention organisations therefore demand:
1. No greenwashing with government endorsement. The Federal Office for the Environment should withdraw from the 'Round Table Against Cigarette Littering' with the tobacco industry and other industry-affiliated actors. Environmental policy processes must be designed independently, based on evidence, and free from tobacco industry-driven influences. A credible strategy against cigarette littering is only possible without the tobacco industry as an actor.
2. Consistently apply the polluter pays principle. We demand the Federal Office for the Environment to create legal instruments so that the tobacco industry fully assumes the environmental costs caused by cigarette butts. The costs for cleaning and disposal should no longer be borne by the public. The industry should pay into a binding fund that finances independent measures against cigarette littering. Image campaigns of the industry should not be considered environmental policy.
3. Expand smoke-free public spaces. We demand the consistent expansion of smoke-free public spaces. Cigarette littering can only be effectively reduced if tobacco consumption in public spaces is also restricted. Where there is no smoking, no cigarette waste is generated. Environmental and health protection pursue a common and complementary goal here.
Existing solution being ignored. It is particularly astonishing that the BAFU, with its 'Round Table Against Cigarette Littering', ignores the already existing solutions of the tobacco prevention organisations. Supported by the Tobacco Prevention Fund, several cantons, and various tobacco prevention organisations, the NGO stop2drop* has launched a double campaign independent of the tobacco industry: 'Cigarette Littering in Public Spaces' and 'Smoke-Free & Clean Playgrounds' (Generation Smoke-Free), already supported by 38 municipalities.
Signatory NGOs
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Tabakprävention Schweiz, Wolfgang Kweitel, +41 79 648 80 82, wolfgang.kweitel@at-schweiz.ch
- OxySuisse, Hugo Molineaux, +41 77 412 70 74 (FR), info@oxysuisse.ch
- stop2drop, Executive Director Markus Dick, +41 77 448 35 76, info@stop2drop.ch
- Trash Hero World, Rahel Schaub, +41 76 683 33 17, switzerland@trashhero.org
About stop2drop: The NGO stop2drop has been committed since 2021 to combating cigarette littering and creating smoke-free and child-friendly outdoor spaces. stop2drop deliberately does not cooperate with the tobacco industry. All activities of this industry ultimately aim to cast a health-damaging and deadly product in a positive light - an approach widely known as greenwashing.
On May 12, 2026, stop2drop launched a national campaign against cigarette littering as well as a module for smoke-free children's playgrounds. In the first year, 38 municipalities participated in the campaign. Learn more: Campaign against Cigarette Littering: www.stop2drop.ch/kampagne, Smoke-Free Playgrounds: www.generationrauchfrei.ch
About AT-Schweiz: The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Tabakprävention Schweiz is the competence centre for tobacco prevention in Switzerland. As an umbrella organisation promoting non-smoking, it now includes over 50 collective members. AT Switzerland offers its members a broad network of experts and provides expertise on tobacco control and prevention, coordinating tobacco prevention activities.
About OxySuisse: OxySuisse is an independent Swiss organisation based in Lausanne, dedicated since 2004 to transparency, scientific integrity, and the protection of public health. It systematically investigates the influence of the tobacco industry on research, policy, and public institutions. OxySuisse implements the Transparency and Truth initiative, revealing the influence strategies of the tobacco industry, raising public awareness, and helping to denormalise this industry, responsible for around 9,200 deaths in Switzerland each year. The initiative is funded by the Tobacco Prevention Fund, part of the fund’s national strategy 2025-2028, and follows the recommendations of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which aims to protect public policy from the influence of the tobacco industry.
About Trash Hero World: Trash Hero World is a global volunteer movement dedicated to a world free from plastic pollution. Through regular cleanups, education programmes, and zero-waste initiatives, the non-profit organisation based in Switzerland has been bringing people together since its founding in 2013 to eliminate waste, reduce plastic, and promote sustainable solutions. In Switzerland alone, Trash Hero Switzerland volunteers have already collected over 1 million cigarette butts.
Media Contact: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Tabakprävention Schweiz, Wolfgang Kweitel, +41 79 648 80 82, wolfgang.kweitel@at-schweiz.ch
OxySuisse, Hugo Molineaux, +41 77 412 70 74 (FR), info@oxysuisse.ch
stop2drop, Executive Director Markus Dick, +41 77 448 35 76, info@stop2drop.ch
Trash Hero World, Rahel Schaub, +41 76 683 33 17, switzerland@trashhero.org