Head researcher Dr Abbas Mohajerani explained that this could potentially eliminate 1.2 million tonnes of waste every year. In addition to removing the litter problem, this ingenious creation also eliminates the danger from harmful chemicals which are drawn into the cigarette filters. These chemicals would no longer be released into the soil and thus would not affect the surrounding environment. These recycled cigarette butts can also be used inside bricks, and if just 2.5% of annual brick production contained 1% cigarette butts, it would offset the world’s entire cigarette production.