Goodbye to the three best-known brands of cigarette filters: the WHO condemns Celanese and leaves 160 workers in the lurch

Celanese, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of cellulose acetate, which is the fiber with which most cigarette filters are made, wants to cease operations at its Lanaken (Belgium) plant in the second half of 2026. This material, cellulose acetate, has had to face difficult conditions and growing uncertainty in the regulatory environment a few days before COP11, which puts a ban on filters on the table and bets on cigar from the last century.

The planned closure, according to the media FinanzNachrichten and Euractiv, is also due to the need to optimize the company’s cost structure, especially taking into account the high energy and operating costs associated with the Lanaken plant. According to initial estimates, about 160 workers will be affected by the closure of the factory, with the factory announcing that it will soon begin an information and consultation process with the unions.

Likewise, they have communicated that they will maintain the supply to customers and will negotiate with local authorities the transition of the location. It should be noted that Celanese sells cigarette filters in Spain. Although the company does not directly market products to the final consumer, its cellulose acetate is used by manufacturers who distribute in the Spanish market. Specifically, in Spain brands such as OCB, Smoking, RAW or Rizla sell filters made with cellulose acetate, which is the type of filter produced by Celanese.

Regulatory context: COP11 and the environmental agenda

The decision comes a few weeks before COP11 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which will be held from November 17 to 22 in Geneva and in which several countries will debate measures to reduce the health and environmental damage of tobacco, including prohibition of filters due to their single-use plastic naturea measure that Spain has communicated that it is in favor of.

The European Union has already acted on this environmental front through the Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019/904), which does not ban filters but imposes marking obligations, campaigns and information on waste, as well as extended producer responsibility. However, several actors ask to go further towards a community veto and in recent weeks a draft has been circulated of the EU position for COP11 that toughens its stance on single-use nicotine products, although the final content has yet to be approved.

Actually, although there is support within the EU to toughen the position on these products, there is no consensus for a community veto, and countries such as Germany and Italy have been reluctant to ban filters in the short term and distance themselves from Spain’s opinion.

Spain participates in this European framework and is part of a supply chain that supplies cellulose acetate filters to the national market. If the filter ban is successful, the impact would extend to intermediate manufacturers and retail distribution (tobacconists).

Statement from tobacconists regarding the closure of tobacconists and changes in the minimum age for access and sale

The Union of Tobacconists’ Associations of Spain has also expressed its rejection of the reduction in points of sale that is being discussed in the regulatory context and warns of the rise of illicit trade that would carry intrinsic. The debate around COP11 includes limiting the number of licenses to sell tobacco and the tobacconists’ association outright rejects that possibility due to its economic impact on a network of more than 13,000 tobacco shops (mostly family businesses), with licenses that can reach 150,000 euros, as echoed by media such as ‘El Plural’.

The sector warns of a disruption in the retail network and a possible boost to illicit trade, which in some cities would already be around 20% of consumption, according to recently published information. For this reason, the employers’ association has made its disagreement public in statements and in sectoral and general media.

On the health front, several countries are promoting generation restriction formulas (prohibition of sales to those born after a certain date), with the aim of cutting the slack in consumption. The EU goes to COP11 with a common position aligned with a stricter agenda, which anticipates tensions in States with a strong economic weight of tobacco, such as Spain. Now, these measures, if adopted, would later require legal specification in each jurisdiction.

Another line of discussion involves eliminating subsidies for tobacco cultivation, in line with article 17 of the Framework Convention, with especially sensitive effects in Extremadura, the main producing area in Spain. The sector predicts consequences on employment and agricultural income if a sudden cut in public support is applied.

Two opposing positions

In conclusion, while tobacconists ask to preserve the capillarity of the network to avoid diversions to the illegal market, public health and environmental organizations demand to go beyond the current framework due to the health and environmental impact of tobacco. The final resolution of COP11 will establish a framework of reference, but any major change in Spain would require subsequent regulatory procedures at the community and national level.