What is a cigarette butt?
A cigarette butt is the leftover portion of a cigarette after it has been smoked, typically consisting of a filter made of cellulose acetate, different types of paper, unburned and charred tobacco, and ash. Cigarette butts are the single most littered item in California, with tobacco product waste making up at least one-third of all debris found on beaches and public spaces. They are also the most collected item during Ocean Conservancy’s International Beach Cleanup Day. In 2018, 5.7 million cigarette butts were collected worldwide. For more information, see the answer to question 3.5 “What is a cigarette filter?”
Click the following links to learn more:
- Ali, F. R. M., Diaz, M. C., Vallone, D., Tynan, M. A., Cordova, J., Seaman, E. L., … & King, B. A. (2020). E-cigarette unit sales, by product and flavor type—United States, 2014–2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(37), 1313.
- Novotny, T. E., Bialous, S. A., & Hill, K. (2022). Tobacco product waste in California: A white paper. California Tobacco Control Program, California Department of Public Health.
- Ocean Conservancy. (2019). The Beach and Beyond. International Coastal Cleanup. 2019 Report. Ocean Conservancy: Washington DC.
- Ocean Conservancy. (2020). Together, We are Team Ocean. International Coastal Cleanup. 2020 Report. Ocean Conservancy: Washington DC.
- UN Environment Programme. Our planet is choking on plastic. UN Environment Programme. Retrieved August 14, 2023, from https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/#:~:text=Cigarette%20butts%20%E2%80%94%20whose%20filters%20contain,the%20next%20most%20common%20items.