IMEKO offers a chemical recycling process that converts toxic cigarette butts into Celion®, a sustainable plastic material. This recovered cellulose acetate is suitable for standard plastic molding, providing manufacturers with a circular economy solution for waste reduction and a lower carbon footprint alternative to virgin plastics.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Cigarette butts represent a significant source of environmental pollution, with trillions discarded annually. The filters, composed of cellulose acetate, contain over 7,000 toxic substances and contribute substantially to plastic waste in natural environments, particularly marine ecosystems.
Solution
IMEKO addresses cigarette butt pollution through a proprietary chemical recycling process that recovers cellulose acetate from filters. This technology effectively removes toxins and transforms the recovered plastic into Celion®, a sustainable material suitable for conventional plastic molding applications. By providing a circular economy solution for cigarette waste, IMEKO enables the creation of new products while mitigating environmental contamination. The process is designed for scalability and has a demonstrably lower carbon footprint compared to virgin plastic production.
Target Audience
IMEKO targets manufacturers and product designers in industries such as consumer goods, automotive, and fashion who are seeking sustainable material alternatives and circular economy solutions.
Features
- Proprietary chemical process for the detoxification and recovery of cellulose acetate from cigarette filters.
- Production of Celion®, a recycled plastic pellet derived from post-consumer cigarette waste.
- Material is compatible with standard plastic injection molding and extrusion processes.
- Achieves a 36% lower carbon footprint compared to virgin plastic alternatives.
- End-to-end process designed for scalability and industrial application.
- Demonstrated use case in the production of eyewear frames from recycled cigarette butts.