Promoting against littering of plastic cigar tips/butts; discontinue their use

This is important because plastic cigar tips/butts are turning up in communities everywhere along streets, in parks, and even all over our beaches among other places. They look bad, invite more litter of other kinds, and are potentially harmful to aquatic life and water. Communities all over are left with the burden to clean up this mess of which the company is party to creating in the cycle.

Dear John Middleton Company,

We are writing to you today on behalf of a myriad of concerned citizens who work tirelessly to clean our environment of litter. As you may know, cigarette butts and cigar tips are among he most prevalent components of litter in America today. Although small in structure, collectively cigarette butts/cigar tips make up a lot of the litter load, and have their collective impact on our water, aquatic life, and visual aspects of a community.  In fact, one cigarette butt left in one gallon of water for one day can kill 80% of aquatic life.

Cigarette butts and cigar tips are everywhere of course but are also finding their way onto our beaches. Middleton Company, a Philip Morris/Altria company, is the manufacturer of Black and Milds. Black and Mild cigar tips are a particularly problematic product environmentally due to the disposable plastic tips that are turning up on our streets and beaches.

Each year, thousands of the Middleton Company's Black and Mild cigar tips/butts  are collected by volunteers, which levies an unnecessary burden on communities everywhere.

Therefore we respectfully request that the Middleton Company in some way endeavor to promote greater awareness of this issue by asking your customers to not pitch butts/tips onto the ground. Perhaps a suggestion on the label with an anti-butt littering/environmental symbol. Additionally, it would be an even more progressive step to make the tip bio-degradable--OR, simply discontinue their use altogether. They are really not necessary, afterall.

We understand that you know what may or may not be feasible for your company, but surely imposing unseen costs on the communities in which your product is sold is not the intention or desire of Altria or The Middleton Company--which clearly takes their commitment to social and environmental stewardship seriously. And, what a unique opportunity to help inform and educate your customer base in the process and identify your brand and company as a socially and environmentally conscious company leading forward thinking and setting the standard in the industry.

On your company website's page titled “Reducing Our Environmental Impact” the following is stated:

* Reduce energy use by 7.5 percent
* Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 7.5 percent
* Reduce Water use by 15 percent
* Achieve 95 percent recycle rate from our facilities and five percent waste to landfill

While it appears the company is making an effort to operate and execute its manufacturing in a more sustainable fashion, nowhere is mentioned about addressing the external problems of plastic tip litter in our environment. Your company made this product and offers no other more environmentally friendly alternative. Perhaps this is something you are already thinking about and a problem you are working to solve?

We trust in good faith that as stated on the company website, John Middleton is truly concerned about the environment and in doing their part to become a more socially responsible and accountable company. Such cannot be achieved while ignoring the issue of cigar tip litter.

Please find a way to correct this issue that is becoming just another part of trashing our country. Above, were mentioned some ideas. On behalf of thousands who volunteer to curb this environmental mess, we look forward to seeing how you will address this very important issue.

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