Environmental Bioethics, Sustainability, RRPs, ENDS and HTP: Why Tobacco Harm Reduction Is Key - Aylen Van Isseldyk

The THR, Ethics and Sustainability proposal holds that harm reduction, when integrated with climate action and environmental justice, becomes a pragmatic and responsible tool. This framework is structured around three interconnected commitments that should guide policy formulation, product design, and waste management: (a) prioritising health-risk-reduced products, (b) demanding designs that reduce the environmental footprint across their life cycle, and (c) guaranteeing regulatory frameworks that especially protect the most vulnerable populations. In short, harm reduction does not require abandoning public health or cessation objectives; rather, it broadens the range of actions available to prevent avoidable harm to people and the natural environment. THR, Ethics and Sustainability proposes an applied research approach that translates ethical principles and scientific evidence into public policy recommendations, ecodesign, and management strategies. The project builds on a prior foundation, Circular Vape Recycle, which analysed the environmental impact of vaping devices internationally and promoted an informed debate about sustainability and harm reduction. The shift towards lower-risk products such as heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and snus marks an expansion of the analytical framework to consider a broader range of consumption alternatives, always with the aim of harmonising health and the environment.