Re-Cig
Re-Cig Srl is an Italian circular-economy company operating Europe's first fully authorized cigarette butt recovery chain. It converts collected filters into Re-CA® plastic polymer via a patented four-stage process, serving 350+ enterprises, 70+ public administrations, and transit operators through its Smoker Point managed-service network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersRovereto, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Re-Cig does
Re-Cig Srl is an Italian circular-economy company that operates Europe's first fully authorized cigarette butt recovery chain. Founded in 2019 (with the underlying concept developed in 2016) and headquartered in Civezzano (Trentino), the company incubated at Progetto Manifattura and co-developed its recovery technology with the University of Trento. The core offering is a managed service: proprietary Smoker Point collection units are loaned to client sites at no upfront cost, and Re-Cig charges a fixed recurring fee covering periodic collection, transportation, FIR waste-form issuance, and production of impact certificates for ESG and sustainability reporting.
The technical backbone is a patented four-stage process (sieving, washing, drying/thermoplasticification, and End of Waste certification) housed at the Civezzano industrial plant, which was commissioned in December 2023 with R3/R12/R13 recovery phase authorization. This converts collected cellulose acetate filters into Re-CA®, a market-ready secondary plastic polymer suitable for injection molding and 3D printing applications. A newer smart-ashtray patent filed in September 2024 extends the IP portfolio into connected collection hardware, and a November 2024 automated-system project is expanding plant capacity.
Re-Cig serves a diversified Italian customer base across enterprises, public administrations, shopping centers, universities, healthcare facilities, and transportation infrastructure, deploying 5,000 Smoker Points across 350+ companies, ~70 public administrations, 9 universities, and 35 railway stations. Flagship accounts include Ferrovie dello Stato Group (1,900+ Smoker Points in 35 stations), Verisure, Banca Mediolanum, Ceetrus, Lungarno, Phi Hotels, Meyer Foundation, University of Palermo, and Polytechnic Milan. The company has processed 100M+ butts cumulatively (30M in 2025 alone), holds ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, achieved break-even in December 2020, and operates as a privately held Srl with no disclosed external funding.
Re-Cig firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Re-Cig
- Legal name
- Re-Cig Srl
- Website
- https://re-cig.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Re-Cig Srl is an Italian circular-economy company operating Europe's first fully authorized cigarette butt recovery chain. It converts collected filters into Re-CA® plastic polymer via a patented four-stage process, serving 350+ enterprises, 70+ public administrations, and transit operators through its Smoker Point managed-service network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Re-Cig is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rovereto
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Re-Cig business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Cigarette butt collection and recycling service: Fixed-fee service covering the entire lifecycle from Smoker Point loan/supply, periodic collection of cigarette butts with integrated internal logistics, transportation, and FIR (waste form) issuance. The service includes quarterly collection cycles with customizable frequency based on client needs.
- Reporting and certification services: Sustainability reporting services including impact certificates for sustainability reports, detailed environmental impact data for ESG reporting, and data for environmental certifications (ISO 20121, etc.).
- Additional service products: Portable ashtrays, customizable veils, customizable panels, and event/festival solutions provided as additional service products to complement the core collection service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Free initial Smoker Point supply with service fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Re-Cig product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Re-Cig provides a turnkey cigarette butt collection and recycling service for enterprises and public bodies, supplying Smoker Point collection devices on loan and operating a proprietary four-stage industrial process that converts collected butts into Re-CA, a market-ready recycled cellulose acetate plastic polymer certified under End of Waste. The service is bundled with periodic collection, internal logistics, FIR issuance, and Impact Certificates for ESG/sustainability reporting.
Product overview
Re-Cig offers a comprehensive circular economy solution for cigarette butt recycling, centered on two core products: the Smoker Point collection device and the Re-CA® recycled plastic polymer. The Smoker Point is a specialized ashtray with 1,500-butt capacity that collects cigarette butts for transport to Re-Cig's recycling facility. Through a proprietary four-stage process (sieving, washing, drying/thermoplastification, and End of Waste certification), cigarette butts are transformed into Re-CA®, a market-ready plastic polymer. Additional services include impact certificates for sustainability reporting, customizable communication materials, portable ashtrays, webinars and training, and event management solutions. The company operates nationwide in collaboration with companies, public administrations, and shopping centers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Smoker Point collection device and recycling service Specialized cigarette butt collection ashtray (1,500-butt capacity, key-operated grille, minimalist design, zero odor, fire-safe, weather-resistant) deployed on loan at client sites and serviced through Re-Cig's periodic collection and recycling service for enterprises, public administrations, shopping centers, healthcare facilities, universities, and events.
- Re-CA recycled cellulose acetate plastic polymer Market-ready secondary raw plastic polymer produced entirely from recycled cigarette butts through a four-stage patented process (sieving, washing, decontamination, drying, and thermoplasticification) with End of Waste certification. Re-CA re-enters production cycles for injection molding and 3D printing applications.
- Portable ashtray add-on
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 million cigarette butts recycled to date
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Re-Cig
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Re-Cig technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Re-Cig partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, flagship and minor.
- Banca MediolanummajorRe-Cig provided 25 Smoker Points at Banca Mediolanum's Be Different national convention in Turin (6,000+ attendees), supporting ISO 20121 sustainable event certification. Demonstrates large-scale event circular economy management.
- Garda Trentino, Alto Garda Servizi (AGS), APSP Casa MiacoreThree-partner consortium for Keep Me Care and The Lake Begins Here environmental campaign. Combines circular technology, public infrastructure, and grassroots social activation. Community engagement model for cigarette butt collection through third sector network.
- Biografilm Festival / Fanatic About Festivals AssociationmajorOfficial collaboration for 22nd Biografilm Festival 2026 to ensure sustainable circular management of tobacco waste. Supported ISO 20121 sustainable event certification. 1,750 kg cigarette butts collected during festival.
- Ferrovie dello Stato Group (RFI/Grandi Stazioni)flagshipMajor railway infrastructure partnership deploying over 1,900 Smoker Points across 35 Italian railway stations. Partnership positions Re-Cig as an ESG partner for large industrial groups, with dynamic environmental education reaching millions of travelers daily.
- University of TrentocoreAcademic partnership originating in 2017 for technology development. University of Trento supported the patent development for transforming cigarette butts into plastic polymer. Represents genetic connection between Re-Cig technology and academic innovation.
- Ceetrus Italy SPAmajorShopping center partnership managing mass visitor flows for sustainable retail at Porte dello Ionio. Partnership demonstrates Re-Cig's ability to handle high-traffic commercial environments with 77.92 kg recovered in 2025.
- PublieventminorMarketing partnership for shopping center communication materials and aesthetic customization of Re-Cig elements with center branding. Collaboration enhances visual communication for retail clients.
- Legambiente, Aquila Basket Trento, WeInk, other associationsminorThird-sector and community organization partnerships for environmental awareness and collection programs. Associations help build connections between public bodies, businesses, and citizens.
- VerisuremajorStrategic partnership where Verisure installed Re-Cig Smoker Points at company headquarters. In six months, the collaboration avoided 90 kg of CO2 emissions. Verisure selected Re-Cig as a sustainability partner representing their understanding of concrete, measurable environmental impact capable of culturally orienting employees.
- Progetto Manifattura (Trentino Sviluppo)coreBusiness incubator partnership beginning 2017 at Progetto Manifattura, one of Europe's most prestigious circular economy hubs. Supported early-stage company development and technology maturation.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Re-Cig competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TerraCycle: TerraCycle operates one of the most recognized cigarette-butt collection and recycling programs (Cigarette Waste Brigade), making it the closest direct competitor to Re-Cig's core offering of branded butt-collection points plus downstream recycling into reusable material.
- Bioelektra Group: Polish group that has publicly positioned itself around cigarette-butt recycling and Re-Cig's stated 'first in Europe' claim highlights Bioelektra as one of the few direct, geographic-adjacent peers in the same niche.
Broad incumbents
- Waste Management, Inc. The largest North American waste-services company with growing international presence; relevant as a broad incumbent that could scale specialized cigarette-butt recovery through existing landfill and materials-recovery infrastructure.
- Veolia: Veolia is one of Europe's largest waste-management incumbents operating across hundreds of facilities; it could in principle enter or expand into specialty cigarette-butt recycling, and shares the same enterprise and municipal customer base that Re-Cig targets.
- Suez: Suez operates extensive waste-collection and materials-recovery infrastructure across Europe, including Italy. Like Veolia, it competes for the same enterprise and municipal recycling contracts that Re-Cig's channel targets.
Emerging players
- Renewlogy: A specialty plastics-recycling startup that converts waste plastics into fuels and feedstocks; comparable in the sense that it operates waste-to-feedstock conversion technologies targeting similar enterprise and municipal recycling customers.
- Greenbutts: Greenbutts develops biodegradable and compostable cigarette filter technologies, addressing the same environmental-litter problem from the upstream materials side rather than post-consumer recycling — making it an indirect but thematically comparable emerging player.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Re-Cig social profiles
Digital presenceRe-Cig compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Re-Cig financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Re-Cig leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Re-Cig funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Re-Cig M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Re-Cig
What does Re-Cig do?
Re-Cig provides a turnkey cigarette butt collection and recycling service for enterprises and public bodies, supplying Smoker Point collection devices on loan and operating a proprietary four-stage industrial process that converts collected butts into Re-CA, a market-ready recycled cellulose acetate plastic polymer certified under End of Waste. The service is bundled with periodic collection, internal logistics, FIR issuance, and Impact Certificates for ESG/sustainability reporting.
Is Re-Cig a public or private company?
Re-Cig is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Re-Cig founded?
Re-Cig was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Re-Cig based?
Re-Cig is headquartered in Rovereto, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Re-Cig make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Cigarette butt collection and recycling service is the primary driver. The others are reporting and certification services and additional service products.
Who are Re-Cig's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TerraCycle and Bioelektra Group. Broad incumbents are Waste Management, Inc., Veolia and Suez. Emerging players are Renewlogy and Greenbutts.
Does Re-Cig have an API?
No public API is recorded for Re-Cig.