Spead or spritz? In Bologna, recycling cigarette butts is a game (invented) for kids
The first column of the start-up Human Maple for the separate collection of cigarette butts has been installed in Piazza Verdi. Once recovered they become material for padding duvets and pillows
BOLOGNA- There is probably no competition between ‘spread’ and ‘spritz’. The one who really wins, however, in the challenge launched by the Modena start-up Human Maple is the environment, because thanks to the eco-ashtray installed in Piazza Verdi in Bologna it will be possible to recycle one of the most polluting wastes, the cigarette butts, transforming them into material for padding duvets, pillows, key rings and for many other uses.
CIGARETTE FILTERS, AN ENEMY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
The filters of the ‘blondes’ are made of cellulose acetate, a material which, if dispersed in the environment, has a very long disintegration time: it takes up to 12 years to decompose, while the microplastics that compose it can remain in the ground for centuries. Human Maple, founded by two very young entrepreneurs trained at the ‘school’ of the Golinelli Foundation, has patented a system for collecting butts and assigning them to a new ‘life’: a cigarette-shaped column with two ‘eyes’, two small holes where to throw what remains of the ‘straws’ already smoked and prevent them from being thrown on the ground.
COLONNINA IN THE HEART OF THE MOVIDA BOLOGNESE
Recycling becomes a game, because you can choose between the ‘spread’ hole and the ‘spritz’ hole or between ‘sea’ and ‘mountain’, but also between ‘Virtus’ and ‘Fortitudo’. With the #recycle me campaign, Human Maple provides affiliated venues with ashtrays, maintenance and butt recycling services (of traditional cigarettes and non-combustion sticks). In Bologna the first was installed in Piazza Verdi, the symbolic place of the city nightlife, frequented by students, young and old, in front of the entrance to the ‘Scuderia’.
THE RECYCLING CHALLENGE
“To collect butts we use poll ashtrays and it is possible to ‘vote’, making recycling a game. To date we have installed 150 of them throughout Italy. The service is provided by subscription to the customer, at which are also issued certificates for the sustainability report. We have found that many customers, companies and municipal companies are interested in the service even just to collect and recycle”, explains the CEO and co-founder of Human. Maple, Ali Benkouhail.
#RICCAMI
“In Modena we have opened a new plant which aims to valorise the butts collected not only by our ashtrays, but by anyone who wants to recycle butts“, confirms the startupper. The cost of the ashtray installed in Piazza Verdi is borne by Emil Banca. If you really don’t want to stop smoking, at least you can avoid polluting.
