The City and County of Denver filed suit on August 7, 2026 against major tobacco companies seeking recovery of public costs allegedly associated with discarded cigarette filters.
The complaint alleges that cellulose-acetate cigarette filters persist as plastic waste, enter streets, stormwater systems, and waterways, and impose recurring cleanup and infrastructure costs on the public. McIntyre Schnieders represents Denver in the litigation.
Coverage has focused on Denver’s effort to shift alleged cleanup costs away from taxpayers and onto the manufacturers the City contends designed and sold the products with knowledge that littering was foreseeable.
Selected Coverage
The lawsuit contains allegations that have not yet been adjudicated. The linked reporting is published by independent third parties; McIntyre Schnieders does not control or endorse every statement in those reports.