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'.To really win, however, in the challenge launched by the Modena start-up Human Maple it 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, 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 very long disintegration times: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 cigarette butts and assigning them to a new 'life': a cigarette-shaped column with two 'eyes', two small holes where you can throw what remains of the 'straws' already smoked and prevent them from being thrown on the ground.

COLUMN IN THE HEART OF BOLOGNA'S MOVIDA

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 throughout Italy.The service is provided by subscription to the customer, who is also issued certificates for the sustainability report.We have found that many customers, companies and municipal authorities are interested in the service even just to collect and recycle", he explains Human Maple CEO and co-founder Ali Benkouhail.

#CHICK ME AGAIN

“We opened in Modena a new system that aims to valorise butts told 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.