5 Ways Cigarette Butts Hurt the Environment
Let’s start with the good news: smoking rates have been dropping rapidly over the last decade. The bad news? Cigarette butts are still the most commonly littered item. In fact, many smokers and non-smokers do not view cigarette butts as litter!
1.Cigarette Butts are Made of Plastic
They do not fully degrade, leach harmful chemicals into the environment, and contribute to our global microplastic problem.
2. Leach Toxic Chemicals into the Environment
Arsenic and lead are commonly found in cigarette butts. Both of these substances can kill any animal that eats a cigarette butt. As the butt breaks down, these chemicals can also find their way into our soil, our food, and our water. It’s for this reason that cigarette butts are considered a hazardous substance. This is why we, at AGF, can only have people who are 19 years+ old participate in our Butt Blitz each year!
3. Cigarette Butts Harm Wildlife
Animals often mistake cigarette butts for food and eat them. Fish, birds, rodents, dogs, and cats that eat cigarette butts will have a whole host of issues, from toxin overload (which results in death) to malnutrition.
4. They Cause Fires
Many smokers don’t put their cigarette butts out properly, leaving them to burn out on the ground or in the trash. These spots often contain flammable materials, which easily catch fire when exposed to the lit cigarette butt. With the increased intensity and length of fire season each year, it’s even more important to mitigate any unintentional fires.
5. E-cigarettes Add Heavy Metals to the Environment
E-cigarettes are still a small portion of the cigarette market, but they are steadily growing in popularity. Unfortunately, e-cigarettes are still just as harmful to the environment. Not only do they contain the same chemicals as regular cigarettes, but they have heavy metals, like mercury and lead, in the circuitry and contain battery acid. End-of-life recycling options for these contraptions are still few and far between. Learn more about e-cigarettes in our article, E-Cigarette Waste: a Growing Environmental Threat.
Cigarette butts may be tiny, but they have a massive environmental impact. They should be disposed of properly, just like all other pieces of trash.
For more information on cigarette butts and the environment, check out our Action Guide, join us at one of our litter cleanups as a volunteer or support our efforts by becoming a monthly donor!
Blog Coordinator