Cigarette butts are one of the most common types of litter found in nature. During our Clean-Up, a third of the rubbish collected is cigarette butts. Worldwide 4,5 thousand billion cigarette butts¹ that are thrown into the environment! And given their small size, they can be dispersed over thousands of kilometres by wind and water. A cigarette butt thrown into a Swiss mountain can end up in an ocean.

This situation is particularly problematic given the toxicity of cigarette butts. It is estimated that a cigarette butt contains around 5,000 chemical compounds, including more than 150 substances² which are recognised as toxic for the environment. These include arsenic, nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. What's more, cigarette filters are mainly made up of cellulose acetate, a synthetic polymer that is not very biodegradable³which can remain in the wild for several years.

These substances pollute soil and water. They fragment under the effect of light, and accumulate in the environment in the form of microplastic, particularly in aquatic environments. Toxic substances are released into the environment on contact with water. A single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 1000 litres of water⁴ !

This pollution has a negative impact on biodiversity⁵ especially for aquatic ecosystems. One study has concluded that a cigarette butt can kill half of the small fish living in the water. 1 litre of water.⁶ What's more, some of the toxic substances are bioaccumulative and can end up in our food.

So what can you do about it? Even if the best solution is not to smoke at all, here are a few tips to prevent cigarette butts from becoming a source of pollution:

• Dispose of cigarette ends only in the bins or ashtrays provided in the resorts, ski lifts and restaurants.
• Use a portable ashtray, such as the Ecobox from the Summit Foundation.
• Keep your cigarette butts with you until you can dispose of them properly.

Together, let's work towards a clean, cigarette-butt-free mountain.

1. Tiny But Deadly: Your Butt on Plastic - Earth Day
2. Araújo, M. C. B., & Costa, M. F. (2019). From Plant to Waste: The Long and Diverse Impact Chain Caused by Tobacco Smoking. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(15), 2690. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16152690
3. Vanapalli, K.R. et al. (2023) '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, p. 131387. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131387.
4. https://www.centreecotox.ch/media/194908/2019_zigarettenstummel_fr.pdf
5. Beutel, M.W.; Harmon, T.C.; Novotny, T.E.; Mock, J.; Gilmore, M.E.; Hart, S.C.; Traina, S.; Duttagupta, S.; Brooks, A.; Jerde, C.L.; et al. A Review of Environmental Pollution from the Use and Disposal of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes: Contaminants, Sources, and Impacts. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12994. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132312994
6. Slaughter E, Gersberg RM, Watanabe K, et al Toxicity of cigarette butts, and their chemical components, to marine and freshwater fish Tobacco Control 2011;20:i25-i29.