JUST THE FACTS, NOTHING 'BUTT' THE FACTS
It is estimated that 4.5 trillion cigarette butts, representing 1.7 billion pounds, end up as litter around the world each year. The problem is most often mentioned in the context of beach pollution. For example, the annual International Coastal Cleanup, sponsored by The Ocean Conservancy, reported in 2010 that cigarettes and cigarette butts made up 21% of all pieces of garbage collected world-wide, almost twice the number of any other category of debris. In Canada, the one-day cleanup collected 335,771 cigarette butts from 1,337 sites.
Although a source of visual pollution, the more serious problems associated with discarded cigarette butts relates to slow decomposition and toxic content. Apparently made of cotton, the filters in cigarette butts are in fact made of cellulose acetate, a substance that is resistant to degradation.
Studies show varying rates of decomposition, ranging from one month to three years, to 10 to 15 years (the consensus).As described by scientists, cigarette butts are photodegradable but not biodegradable. The difference is that, whereas biodegradable substances are organic materials that become neutralized by enzymes or sunlight, non-biodegradable substances stay in the environment for decades. In other words, cigarette butts will eventually break down into a powdery plastic residue, but they will never completely disappear.
Resistance to decomposition makes cigarette butts an environmental problem because of the multiple chemicals that become trapped in their filters. These chemicals include carcinogens such as benzopyrene and formaldehyde; poisons such as arsenic, lead, acetone, toluene, cadmium, nicotine and benzene; and hazardous chemicals such as butane and ammonia.These leach into waterways and water supplies, and may be ingested by marine life and toddlers in playgrounds.
Cigarette butt litter is also a fire hazard. Discarded butts containing traces of lit tobacco have been blamed for both residential and brush fires.
Although the environmental impact of one discarded butt is small, the cumulative effect is substantial, and growing. According to one study, 5.6 trillion filtered cigarettes were consumed worldwide in 2002; nine trillion will be consumed by 2025.
A national Visible Litter Study to determine the cost of litter in the US found 46.6 billion pieces of small litter under 4”, 36.3 per cent is tobacco litter. The US spends $11.5 billion to clean up litter, and this is considered a conservative estimate.
The State of Texas small litter audit counted 440 million littered cigarette butts in 2009.
Indonesia identifies cigarette butts as that nation’s second biggest polluter.
Italian scientists have warned legislators in their country that cigarette butt litter is an environmental hazard and should be regarded and treated as hazardous waste the same as batteries are.
Although a source of visual pollution, the more serious problems associated with discarded cigarette butts relates to slow decomposition and toxic content. Apparently made of cotton, the filters in cigarette butts are in fact made of cellulose acetate, a substance that is resistant to degradation.
Studies show varying rates of decomposition, ranging from one month to three years, to 10 to 15 years (the consensus).As described by scientists, cigarette butts are photodegradable but not biodegradable. The difference is that, whereas biodegradable substances are organic materials that become neutralized by enzymes or sunlight, non-biodegradable substances stay in the environment for decades. In other words, cigarette butts will eventually break down into a powdery plastic residue, but they will never completely disappear.
Resistance to decomposition makes cigarette butts an environmental problem because of the multiple chemicals that become trapped in their filters. These chemicals include carcinogens such as benzopyrene and formaldehyde; poisons such as arsenic, lead, acetone, toluene, cadmium, nicotine and benzene; and hazardous chemicals such as butane and ammonia.These leach into waterways and water supplies, and may be ingested by marine life and toddlers in playgrounds.
Cigarette butt litter is also a fire hazard. Discarded butts containing traces of lit tobacco have been blamed for both residential and brush fires.
Although the environmental impact of one discarded butt is small, the cumulative effect is substantial, and growing. According to one study, 5.6 trillion filtered cigarettes were consumed worldwide in 2002; nine trillion will be consumed by 2025.
A national Visible Litter Study to determine the cost of litter in the US found 46.6 billion pieces of small litter under 4”, 36.3 per cent is tobacco litter. The US spends $11.5 billion to clean up litter, and this is considered a conservative estimate.
The State of Texas small litter audit counted 440 million littered cigarette butts in 2009.
Indonesia identifies cigarette butts as that nation’s second biggest polluter.
Italian scientists have warned legislators in their country that cigarette butt litter is an environmental hazard and should be regarded and treated as hazardous waste the same as batteries are.