Plastic Free July Quick Facts: Cigarettes
Plastic Free July cigarettes facts show how cigarette filters contain plastic fibres, become toxic litter, and can wash through drains into the ocean.
Plastic Free July Cigarettes: Sun’s Out, Butt’s Out
Plastic Free July cigarettes facts matter because many smokers aren’t even aware that cigarette filters are made of thousands of particles of plastic. Yes, it’s true – and by simply throwing your cigarette butt on the ground, they get washed down drains and ultimately land up in our oceans.
Why Cigarette Butts Are Plastic Pollution
According to A Waste Free World on Instagram, cigarette butts are the most common find at beach cleanups, and one butt can contaminate up to 200 litres of water. The main question with most single use plastics (and yes, we’ll categorise cigarettes under this as well) – is what to do with the already million pieces we have accumulated throughout the years?
How Long Cigarette Filters Last in the Environment
Scientists don’t even REALLY know if plastic will ever biodegrade or simply fragment into microscopic granules when being exposed to the sun. That’s why certain news sources cite a 500-year estimate while others prefer a 1,000-year lifespan. According to some plastics experts, all these figures are just another way of saying “a reeeeeally, reeeeeally long time.”
Watch How Cigarette Butts Are Turned into Park Benches
Watch this short video to see how cigarette butts can be collected and recycled into park benches.
Watch VideoContinue the Plastic Free July Series
Explore more practical ways to reduce everyday plastic pollution and support cleaner oceans.
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