In Praça General Humberto Delgado, preparations are underway for the traditional Christmas lights and the tree is nearly complete. However, the gathering in front of Porto City Hall today was for a different reason: numerous students participated in a cigarette butt collection challenge launched by the Municipal Police and the Federação Académica do Porto (FAP) to mark World No Tobacco Day.
Just before 15:00, students, equipped with gloves and plastic bags, dispersed across various downtown streets.
For the third time, David Maia, a Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy undergraduate, took part in this event, leading a group of students from different courses of the School of Health.
“I think this allows us not only to spend some time together as a college and as students but also to show that we need to engage in such activities to raise public awareness and keep our city as clean as possible,” he explains.
On Rua dos Clérigos, cigarette butts were collected from shop entrances, sidewalk edges, and granite pavers that characterize the city center.
Paula Alves, a Municipal Police officer guiding the group with David, explains to students that cigarette butts are “the most discarded waste in the world” with an estimated five trillion discarded annually.
“They are indeed a common disaster,” she assures, as she bends down to help with the collection.
The students, met with looks of admiration and curiosity by tourists enjoying the sun in Base garden, do not need to explain their actions. Officer Paula quickly informs the onlookers near the bar that they are “conducting an awareness campaign.”
“This part of the patio is clean, as we clean it daily,” clarifies an employee, suggesting the group move towards the garden entrances.
Lúcia Martins, an occupational therapy student, was encouraged by her older peers and believes “everyone” should help.
She couldn’t specify the amount of litter collected, but the plastic bag she carries is already half full, similar to the bags of other students who, by late afternoon, arrived at Praça dos Leões, receiving thanks from attending police officers.
“I think some people aren’t aware that it’s an offense [to throw cigarette butts on the ground],” says the Municipal Police commander, Liliana Marinho, who is convinced that “word of mouth” and awareness campaigns aimed at younger people can help curb the issue.
Fines range from 150 to 500 euros, but Porto’s Municipal Police have yet to issue any, focusing solely on educational efforts for now.
“This is ongoing work, and awareness and literacy are extremely important,” agrees Catarina Araújo, the vice-president of the municipality, and head of the Environment and Sustainability department.
For the councilor, involving young people from the start is key to success in the long fight against the harms of tobacco, and the municipality should always be present for symbolic reasons.
The FAP president concurs, suggesting such initiatives help instill a mindset that discourages these acts in daily life.
The collected cigarette butts will take time to count, and security agents have their hands full with the waste brought in by each student.
“No more cigarette butts fit in these 10 boxes,” a police officer remarks, as he gathers the extras in bags.
