July 2026: TerraCycle Launches Nationwide Nicotine Vape Device Recycling Service in the U.S.
TerraCycle has launched a nationwide recycling service for used nicotine vape devices in the United States, providing what the company describes as the country’s first comprehensive collection and recycling solution for one of its fastest-growing electronic waste streams. The service is available to households, businesses, schools, municipalities and other organizations through prepaid collection containers in multiple sizes.
Under the program, collected vape devices are dismantled so that plastics, metals and other recyclable materials can be recovered for use in new products, while nicotine pods are disposed of through high-temperature incineration in accordance with applicable regulations. The initiative is intended to address the growing environmental challenges associated with discarded vaping products, which often contain lithium-ion batteries, plastics and residual nicotine.
TerraCycle stated that the service is designed to help organizations meet waste management and sustainability goals by offering a turnkey recycling solution for nicotine vaping products. The launch expands the company’s portfolio of specialized recycling programs for difficult-to-recycle waste streams.
May 2026: Philip Morris International Recognized by Forbes as Net Zero Leader
Philip Morris International has been included in Forbes’ annual Net Zero Leaders list, marking its fourth consecutive year on the list and highlighting continued progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The ranking places PMI among the top global companies advancing decarbonization, with the company ranked No. 4 in 2025 – the only fast-moving consumer goods company in the top 10.
The Forbes methodology evaluates firms based on a combination of factors, including emissions reduction strategies, governance, transparency, financial strength, and progress across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. From PMI’s perspective, the inclusion reflects its view that sustainability and decarbonization are embedded within its broader business transformation rather than treated as standalone initiatives. The company points to investments in renewable energy, supply chain optimization, and operational efficiency as key drivers of emissions reduction, alongside its target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 under its Climate Transition Plan.
Overall, the recognition reinforces PMI’s efforts to align climate strategy with long-term competitiveness and regulatory positioning, while supporting its transition narrative toward a more sustainability-focused business model.
March 2025: British American Tobacco invests to reduce the CO2 emissions
British American Tobacco (BAT) invested €4.7 million in a biomass-fuelled heating plant at its factory in Kanfanar, Croatia aiming to cut the factory’s CO2 emissions by 65%. With this investment, BAT’s total investment in sustainability projects reached €19 million in Croatia in the last two years. BAT stated that its Croatian operations are on track to become carbon-neutral ahead of the Group’s global 2030 target.
BAT took over the Kanfanar factory when it acquired the local tobacco company, Tvornica Duhana Rovinj (TDR) for over €500 million in 2015. In November 2023, BAT announced a €80 million investment plan to upgrade the Kanfanar factory to produce heated tobacco/rooibos sticks. Read more: British American Tobacco: Manufacturing
January 2024
Slovakia is pioneering a new way to recycle cigarette butts by transforming filters into asphalt for roads1. The Slovakian capital, Bratislava’s waste management company announced a new initiative to collect and transform cigarette filters into special fibers to be utilized as an admixture in the preparation of asphalt. There is already a road in central Slovakia made from discarded cigarettes, reportedly the first of its kind in the world, and Slovakia aims to increase cigarette recycling in 2024 with this new scheme.
Cigarette litter releases toxic substances which can contaminate water, soil and environmental ecosystems and only an estimated one third of the butts from 18Bn cigarettes smoked worldwide every day end up in a rubbish or recycling bin.
December 2023
Ferrari and Philip Morris International (PMI) forms a partnership to explore sustainable energy related technology solutions2. Ferrari E-Lab will bring together the two companies’ technological capabilities to scout and explore new energy-related technologies that could support the decarbonization of the companies’ production facilities in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). The partnership aims to assess key solutions contributing to industrial electrification in the generation, storage, and transformation of renewable energy. The first study will explore the viability of long-duration energy storage technologies and should be completed by Q3 2024.
Ferrari and PMI are strategic partners since 1973. Ferrari aims to become carbon neutral by 2030.
December 2023
S&P Global adds Philip Morris International (PMI) to its benchmark ESG Index, Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World)3, following the annual re-balancing & reconstitution review.
The DJSI is a family of market cap weighted indices that measure the performance of companies selected based on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. Launched in 1999, the (DJSI) index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks.
Tencent and ServiceNow are the other two companies added to the world index. Novartis, AstraZeneca and Amgen are deleted from the world index. All changes are effective from December 18, 2023.
October 2023
The Australian government is forced to revoke the Climate Active (carbon-neutral) certification given to BAT4 after the endorsement was found to be in breach of a WHO treaty to which Australia is a signatory. Climate Active is a government-backed carbon-neutral certification scheme and offers certifications to organisations that make efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.
Critics claim that carbon-neutrality is a “greenwashing” tactic used by the tobacco industry globally. Greenwashing is described as harmful or controversial industries marketing themselves as environmentally friendly in a bid to divert public attention from their environmentally damaging practices.
September 2023
Philip Morris International (PMI) becomes one of the few companies – so far – to receive Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation for its Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions reductions targets5. Ahead of the validation, PMI was also included in Forbes’ first-ever Net Zero Leaders ranking6 (as #7) which lists the 100 US public companies that are best positioned to transition to a low-carbon economy – i.e. to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions and to ultimately offset them by 2050. Tesla ranks #71.
Meanwhile, more ESG funds are closed in the US in 2023 than in three prior years7. BlackRock, StateStreet and others spent years rolling out sustainable funds, seeking to capitalize on surging interest in ESG investing. Now they’re abandoning an increasing number of those products in the US amid political backlash and investor scrutiny.
June 2023
“[This is] why ESG is the devil…”, tweeted Elon Musk, referring to the fact that tobacco companies (PMI and BAT) are crushing Tesla in the ESG ratings.
References:
- https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/01/07/cigarette-recycling-slovakia-is-transforming-filters-into-asphalt-for-roads ↩︎
- https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/corporate/articles/ferrari-e-lab-in-collaboration-with-philip-morris-international-the-start-of-a-cross-industry-project ↩︎
- https://portal.s1.spglobal.com/survey/documents/DJSI2023_press_release_results.pdf ↩︎
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/oct/20/australia-breaches-who-treaty-with-carbon-neutral-certification-of-big-tobacco-company ↩︎
- https://www.pmi.com/media-center/press-releases/press-details/?newsId=26741 ↩︎
- https://www.forbes.com/lists/net-zero-leaders ↩︎
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-21/blackrock-state-street-among-money-managers-closing-esg-funds ↩︎
