Cigarette butts and plastics are the most common types of litter found in nature, both on a global scale^{1 and 2} and on a Swiss scale³. Through dozens of cleanups carried out by the Summit Foundation as part of the Clean-Up Tour, we have also observed that most of the waste found consists of plastics or cigarette butts. In Switzerland, 14,000 tonnes of plastic⁴ end up in the environment each year, 2,700 tonnes of which are due to littering (the abandonment of waste in nature).

This pollution is problematic, as plastics and cigarette butts are not biodegradable⁵. Plastic can remain in the environment for hundreds of years before disappearing. The same goes for cigarette butts, whose filters are made of cellulose acetate, a type of plastic. Furthermore, plastics contain additives that release pollutants into the environment⁶. It is even worse for cigarette butts, which contain more than 150 toxic substances harmful to the environment⁷, including nicotine, arsenic, and heavy metals.

Plastic waste and cigarette butts are harmful to wildlife. In particular, animals can ingest them⁸, either accidentally or by mistaking them for food. Such ingestion can have severe consequences for wildlife, contaminating animals with the substances contained in the waste. Moreover, ingesting plastic or cigarette butts can create a false feeling of fullness⁹, causing animals to stop eating and potentially leading to their death. In addition, the ingestion of cigarette butts is not only observed in wild animals; it has also been documented in domestic animals and young children¹⁰.

Another threat that plastics pose to wildlife is entanglement¹¹. Animals can become trapped in plastic waste, which can injure them, restrict their movement, cause suffocation, and ultimately lead to death. This is especially observed in marine species but has also been documented in birds and freshwater species¹².

To reduce plastics and cigarette butts in the environment, remember to adopt the right behaviors:

• When going for a walk, take a bag with you to carry your waste to the next bin.
• Limit the use of single-use plastics (packaging, PET bottles, etc.). Instead, choose a reusable water bottle and containers.
• For smokers, consider carrying a pocket ashtray, such as the Ecobox offered by the Summit Foundation.

Let’s be responsible and work together against littering to protect the wildlife of our mountains.

1. Vanapalli, Kumar Raja, Hari Bhakta Sharma, Shaivya Anand, et al. «Cigarettes Butt Littering: The Story of the World's Most Littered Item from the Perspective of Pollution, Remedial Actions, and Policy Measures». Journal of Hazardous Materials 453 (July 2023): 131387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131387.
2. Avio, Carlo Giacomo, Stefania Gorbi, and Francesco Regoli. «Plastics and Microplastics in the Oceans: From Emerging Pollutants to Emerged Threat». Marine Environmental Research 128 (July 2017): 2-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.05.012.
3. FOEN, Federal Office for the Environment. «Waste around Swiss lakes and rivers». Accessed on 12 September 2025. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/fr/home/themen/thema-abfall/abfall--dossiers/littering-schweizer-gewaesser.html.
4. FOEN, Federal Office for the Environment. «Plastics in the environment». Accessed on 10 September 2025. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/fr/home/themen/thema-abfall/abfallpolitik-und-massnahmen/kunststoffe-in-umwelt.html.
5. Garcês, Andreia, and Isabel Pires. «The Detrimental Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife». Research in Ecology, 20 May 2024, 42-. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v6i2.6294.
6. Gateuille, David, and Emmanuel Naffrechoux. «Transport of Persistent Organic Pollutants: Another Effect of Microplastic Pollution?» WIREs Water 9, n^o 5 (2022): e1600. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1600.
7. Araújo, Maria Christina B., and Monica F. Costa. «From Plant to Waste: The Long and Diverse Impact Chain Caused by Tobacco Smoking. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, n^o 15 (2019): 2690. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16152690.
8. Napper, I E, and R C Thompson. Plastics and the Environment. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112522-072642.
9. Garcês, Andreia, and Isabel Pires. «The Detrimental Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife. Research in Ecology, 20 May 2024, 42-46. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v6i2.6294.
10. Novotny, Thomas E, Sarah N Hardin, Lynn R Hovda, Dale J Novotny, Mary Kay McLean, and Safdar Khan. «Tobacco and Cigarette Butt Consumption in Humans and Animals. Tobacco Control 20, n^o Suppl 1 (2011): i17-20. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc.2011.043489.
11. Napper, I E, and R C Thompson. Plastics and the Environment. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112522-072642.
12. https://summit-foundation.org/shop/