Terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems are under immense pressure as challenges including biodiversity loss, land degradation and illicit wildlife trade mount. Many biodiversity hotspots, including biodiverse savannahs, grasslands, and tropical rainforests, are under heightened threat from activities linked to global supply chains. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment states that biodiversity is the foundation on which human lives depend. Biodiverse ecosystems not only provide essential goods including food, water, fibre, and medicines, but also irreplaceable services such as the regulation of disease and the purification of air and water.

Guided by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) #15: Life on Land where the focus is on “protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,” PMM’s efforts have been greatly focused on reducing cigarette-butt filter which contaminates our living spaces and the overall environment, with indirect negative impacts to the economy as well.

To this end, PMM is piloting a cigarette-butt canister initiative, where we partner with Reef Check Malaysia to install close to 200 cigarette bins across the country. In this 9-month pilot project, these cigarette-butt canisters will be installed in strategic, high littering locations