Recycled Cigarette Filters Match Rockwool in Hydroponic Vegetable Growth, Indonesian Study Finds

 

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FORMOSA NEWS - Bogor -  A team of researchers from Universitas Negeri Jakarta has shown that discarded cigarette butt filters can be safely reused as an effective growing medium for hydroponic vegetables. The study, published in 2026 in the Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR), found that water spinach grown on processed cigarette filter waste performed just as well as plants grown on commercial Rockwool. The findings point to a practical way to reduce one of the world’s most persistent forms of waste while lowering costs for urban and small-scale farmers.

The research was conducted by Nara Abdullah Sufi Al Amin Sabilillah, Raffael Rayya Rabbani, and Dini Nurrahmawati, all affiliated with Universitas Negeri Jakarta. Their work matters because cigarette butts are among the most common and environmentally damaging forms of litter globally, and hydroponic farming continues to expand in cities where affordable and sustainable growing media are urgently needed.

 

Why cigarette butt waste is a growing environmental concern

Cigarette butts are not just unsightly litter. Most modern cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate, a plastic-like material that can take years, even decades, to break down. Globally, an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded into the environment every year, polluting soil, waterways, and marine ecosystems.

These filters also trap toxic substances such as nicotine, tar, and heavy metals during smoking. When thrown away, they can leach harmful chemicals into the environment, posing risks to plants, animals, and human health.

At the same time, interest in hydroponic agriculture is rising sharply. Hydroponics allows vegetables to be grown without soil, using nutrient-rich water and inert growing media such as Rockwool. While efficient and productive, many commonly used hydroponic media are relatively expensive and energy-intensive to produce, creating barriers for small farmers and community-based urban agriculture.

This combination of mounting waste and growing demand for sustainable food production sets the stage for innovative reuse solutions.

 

Turning cigarette filters into plant-growing material

The Universitas Negeri Jakarta research team explored whether cigarette butt filters, once thoroughly cleaned and sterilized, could function as a safe and effective hydroponic growing medium.

The experiment was carried out in Citayam, Bogor, West Java, between June and July 2025, using water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), a fast-growing leafy vegetable widely consumed in Indonesia.

In simple terms, the researchers compared two groups of plants:

·         One group grown in processed cigarette butt filter waste

·         One group grown in Rockwool, the standard hydroponic medium

Before use, the cigarette filters underwent a strict detoxification process. The filters were cleaned, soaked in water for several days, sterilized using 70 percent alcohol, boiled for several hours, and then sun-dried. This process was designed to remove harmful chemical residues and make the material safe for plant roots.

Both groups of plants were grown in the same hydroponic wick system, using identical nutrient solutions, water quality, and growing conditions.

 

What the researchers found

After 26 days of observation, the results showed no meaningful differences between plants grown in cigarette filter media and those grown in Rockwool.

Key findings included:

·     Plant height: Water spinach grown in cigarette filter media reached an average height comparable to those grown in Rockwool.

·         Number of leaves: Both groups developed a similar number of leaves throughout the growth period.

·         Leaf length: No significant difference was observed between the two media.

Statistical analysis using an independent sample T-test produced a significance value of 0.86, well above the standard threshold of 0.05. This means the differences in growth were not statistically significant.

In practical terms, the cigarette butt filter medium performed equally well as Rockwool in supporting plant growth.

 

Why the material works

According to the researchers, the success of the cigarette filter medium lies in its physical structure. Cellulose acetate fibers form a dense but porous network that can retain water while still allowing air to circulate around plant roots.

This balance of moisture retention and aeration is crucial in hydroponic systems. It helps roots absorb nutrients efficiently and prevents oxygen deprivation, a common cause of poor plant growth.

Importantly, the study found no signs of toxicity or growth inhibition, suggesting that the cleaning and sterilization process effectively removed harmful substances such as nicotine and tar.

As the authors ethically paraphrase in their discussion, Nara Abdullah Sufi Al Amin Sabilillah of Universitas Negeri Jakarta explains that once purified, cellulose acetate from cigarette filters can function as an inert substrate, supporting roots and nutrient delivery in much the same way as commercial hydroponic media.

 

Real-world impact and practical implications

The findings carry significant implications for both environmental management and sustainable agriculture.

From an environmental perspective, reusing cigarette butt waste helps reduce pollution from one of the world’s most widespread and persistent litter problems. Instead of ending up in rivers, soil, or oceans, cigarette filters could be redirected into productive use.

From an economic standpoint, this approach could lower input costs for urban farmers, small-scale growers, and community hydroponic projects, particularly in densely populated cities where waste generation and food demand are both high.

The study also supports broader circular economy principles, where waste materials are repurposed into valuable resources rather than discarded.

The researchers recommend that any practical use of cigarette filter growing media must follow strict sterilization procedures to ensure food safety. They also suggest future studies examine potential chemical residues in harvested crops and conduct cost–benefit analyses for large-scale adoption.

 

Author profile

Nara Abdullah Sufi Al Amin Sabilillah is a researcher at Universitas Negeri Jakarta, specializing in environmental science and sustainable agriculture. His work focuses on waste utilization, hydroponic systems, and environmentally friendly innovations in food production.

 

Source

Utilization of Cigarette Butt Filter Waste as an Alternative Growing Medium in Hydroponic Systems Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR), Vol. 5, No. 1, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijar.v5i1.16115