Having collected cigarette butts from the streets and cleaned them using ecological agents, an extensive study was carried out to explore the potential of the material, right from dissecting it and treating it to be toxin-free and safe for human contact to blending it and casting it in various materials – scoping for the potential to add value to what was otherwise quite simply trash. The result of this was a wide range of products: paper, coasters, and organizers, to name a few. To tap into a widely available resource and in such abundance is a golden opportunity that should be zeroed in on.

There are several companies just beginning to collect cigarette butts to recycle them. But there isn’t yet a clear use for the discarded material. Meanwhile, India's cigarette recycler has tapped Tungare to help develop new products from reclaimed cellulose acetate. She’s still in the process of experimenting with products that can be manufactured at scale, including the home goods she created for the Jugaad project. “I’m glad that companies are finding ways for people to dispose of their cigarette butts responsibly,” she says. “Now, designers like myself can work on creating products from this material.” (Source: Fast Company)