Smoking is an addiction that must be avoided. If someone has already fallen into it, they need to be cautious to avoid further damage. They can do that by reducing the number of cigarettes and using better filters. Another thing is that the level of protection, like cigarette filters provide, is minimal and low. They are not safe at all, even if they block some tar and nicotine particles. The continuous release of toxins overcomes a filter’s ability to absorb them within a few cigarette puffs. Therefore, we can only say that something is better than nothing. It is better to take maximum precautions in the form of filters, even if they provide less than 50% efficiency. Since there are several options available in the industry, let’s compare them to determine which ones are the best.
The most common filter found in cigarettes is cellulose acetate. Over 90 percent of cigarettes around the world have this type. It appears like cotton if you look at it closely. However, it is not cotton, but something else. The spongy and soft material inside the cigarette butt is cellulose acetate, which exhibits distinct chemical and physical properties.
About Material
Cellulose acetate is a combination of a plant-based material and plastic. Cellulose is derived from plants, which is then combined with acetic acid to make it compatible for cigarettes. Once cellulose combines with acetic acid, it becomes similar to plastic. Therefore, we can consider it a plastic filter.
Filter Efficiency
Let’s discuss how efficient it is. No matter how much cigarette brands claim that these filters are safe, the fact remains that they are not. Lots of toxic chemicals exist inside a cigarette, which can’t be filtered completely by a plastic filter. A cellulose acetate filter has limited performance against tar, nicotine, and other chemicals. To be honest, the efficiency level is relatively low. A tiny filter with some cellulose acetate fibers can not block every toxic chemical coming from the burning tobacco at all.
It may initially block some tar, but then it fails to filter the subsequent layers. Not only is tar supposed to be filtered, but every other chemical inside the cigarette requires filtering. Therefore, even the nicotine filtration process is low in cellulose acetate filters.
Moreover, the cost of this filter is pretty low, which is why it is widely used in cigarettes. We can say that plastic filters can initially block some toxins, but as soon as they turn brown or yellowish, their performance becomes poor. As a result, health is compromised in the form of a higher risk of tar accumulation in the lungs and the risk of cancer.
Effects on the Environment
Since it is a plastic filter, we can consider it non-biodegradable. Although cellulose is a plant-based material, the acetate is what makes this filter similar to plastic. Moreover, once the filter becomes contaminated with tar and other toxins, it poses a greater threat to the environment. Carbon and similar toxic elements are present in used plastic filters, which take more time to decompose. Mainly, they don’t decompose unless they are used for any other purpose.
The second type is a paper filter, which is better than a plastic one. The reason is apparent, and it is the nature of paper. As we know, paper is often preferable to plastic in many conditions, so its performance is slightly different from that of plastic filters. Let’s see if it is better or worse.
About Material
The paper filters are made from wood pulp, an eco-friendly material. It is rarely available, or a few brands supply it. Therefore, people have to search for it online or in a specific retail store. This material has both benefits and disadvantages, which are outlined below.
Efficiency Level
The tar and other toxic chemicals, such as benzene and formaldehyde, pose the biggest challenge to be filtered. Paper filters are more effective at absorbing moisture than cellulose acetate filters. However, the formation of these filters is not as dense as that of plastic filters. Even if they absorb the moisture, they can still block only a portion of it due to their shallow structure. The linings in the paper filters cannot block many elements, even if they absorb the moisture that could affect the throat.
Yet, the paper will stop absorbing the toxins after some minutes of smoking. Once it becomes contaminated, the last few puffs could be less filtered. Ultimately, the effects will be harmful to chain smokers.
Effects on the Environment
Paper filters are better than plastic ones because they are made of wood pulp. Yet, we can’t consider them biodegradable enough. The reason is the contamination they get from tobacco leaves. Tar, nicotine, formaldehyde, and other toxins are present in used filters. Paper filters will decompose more quickly than plastic ones, but they can also have an adverse environmental impact due to the toxins present in them. If we examine the recycling of these filters, there is hope for their beneficial use. They can be used for construction or packaging material, which will not be a bad idea.
Then, some filters contain activated charcoal. The third type of cigarette filter available on the market is activated charcoal filters. Their performance differs from that of other types, which is why they are widely used. These filters are typically attached to cigarette butts to filter the smoke further. It seems to be double protection, but if you look closely, even this double protection can not eliminate the risk of cancer at all.
About Material
These cigarette filters contain charcoal particles, typically made from coconut shells. Once coconut shells are turned into charcoal, their features slightly change. They have different levels of absorption, which are listed below.
Efficiency Level
Some chemicals inside cigarettes cause severe damage to the lungs and other organs. Formaldehyde and benzene are some of the main elements that are released by tobacco leaves. When a person smokes through activated charcoal filters, lots of toxins are filtered out by these filters. Yet, it doesn’t mean that smoking is safe. You can consider their performance slightly better than the plastic and paper filters in this case.
These filters block free radicals, which are one of the most dangerous elements released by cigarettes. Additionally, the carbonyl removal process occurs within them, further reducing health damage. Since activated charcoal has a high gas absorption level, it blocks gaseous components more effectively than other types. Their efficiency level is a few percentage points better than that of the plastic and paper filters.
Effects on the Environment
They are not biodegradable, and they also contain carbon toxins after they are thrown away. It is harmful for the environment unless someone recycles them for other uses. Many carbon-based products are utilized in the construction, mining, and metal industries, where activated charcoal filters can be particularly beneficial.
If we have to decide which one is safe, the answer will be none. Since no filter is good enough to block at least 50 percent of the toxins released from the tobacco, we can’t consider any of them safe. However, we can say that activated charcoal filters are slightly better because they add further protection when smokers connect them to cigarette butts. The first filtering will be done by the plastic filters already present in cigarettes; then, additional filtering will be done by activated charcoal filters.
