What is the Situation with Cigarette Related Litter ... - Keep Britain Tidy

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5 The ProblemThe extent and impact of cigarette related litter is described in further detail below.5.1 About cigarette related litterCigarette related litter (also known as smoking related litter) refers to a range of itemsthat are incorrectly disposed of through the act of smoking. These items and theircomposition are:• Cigarette butts and cigar ends–cigarette butts are made of cellulose acetate(plastic) and consist of trapped tar and some smoke particles leftover from theinhaled smoke. Cigar ends are less common and they also contain remnants oftobacco.• Cigarette box packaging – consisting of cardboard cigarette boxes, plasticwrappers and foil inserts.• Ignition source – i.e, wooden matches and plastic lighters.It is safe to assume that cigarette butts should be the focus of future cigarette-relatedlitter interventions. This is not only due to their vast quantity, but also due to thesignificance of their impacts (which are detailed in future sections of this document)compared to other cigarette related litter items, such as cardboard packaging.5.1.1 How many cigarette butts are littered?It is impossible to know with certainty the exact number of littered cigarette butts on theground across England, due to differing cleaning regimes, weather conditions, andaccumulated litter.Many publications quote that 200 million cigarette butts are ‘thrown away’ in the UKwhich could be misinterpreted as an assumption that all of these butts are littered. This isnot the case. In fact, 200 million cigarettes are consumed every day in the UK (asdescribed in a previous section), and it is unclear how many of these butts are littered inoutdoor settings.Probably the best indication of the extent of cigarette related litter in the environment isfrom the work undertaken by ENCAMS, which shows that cigarette related litter is presenton 79% of streets 35 . This figure was arrived at using rigorous survey protocols and qualityprocedures. Further, the data is collected quarterly and reported annually, providingmore reliable information than a one-off sample of litter composition.Several other studies have been conducted which provide an indication of thecomposition of litter in the environment. ENCAMS undertook a litter sample study onbehalf of INCPEN, finding that cigarette butts comprise of 32% of all litter, making themthe second highest type of litter by volume (after chewing gum) in England 36 . Theseresults were arrived at through litter counts at 30 sample sites (transects).35 ENCAMS (2005) LEQSE 2004-0536 ENCAMS (Oct 2004) INCPEN Litter Survey of England, INCPENSituation Report - Final 10
Finally, during the Marine Conservation Society’s Beachwatch 2003 beach litter survey, atotal of 14,659 cigarette ends were found on 244 beaches around the UK. An average108.7 cigarette ends were found for each kilometre of beach surveyed, equivalent toone every 10 metres, an increase of 25% from Beachwatch 2002 (86.7 per km) 37 .5.1.2 How much do littered butts weigh?Given the uncertainty surrounding the actual number of littered cigarette butts, itlogically follows that the actual weight of all littered cigarette butts is also impossible toestimate.We know that 1 cigarette butt weighs 0.1701g 38 . This figure can be used to extrapolate atotal weight if the number of littered cigarette butts is known.It is commonly stated that 122 tonnes of cigarette related litter is littered every day in theUK. However, the origin of this figure is unclear (pers comm. Fiona Campbell, PolicyDirector ENCAMS) and therefore, the method of calculation is not verifiable at this stage.5.2 Where does CRL occur?Cigarette related litter (CRL) occurs in those areas where smokers are most likely tocongregate. They include the areas outside of:• industrial warehouses / units;• retail areas 39 ;• offices; and• transport facilities 40 .5.3 Why does CRL occur?Cigarette related litter occurs largely as a result of smokers inappropriately disposing ofcigarette butts. (Clearly, inappropriate disposal refers to smokers dropping cigarettebutts on the ground, but it should also be noted that placing cigarette butts on the rim ofbins (where they can be blown onto the ground), and failing to extinguish a cigarettebutt before placing it into litter bins or ashtrays (causing a fire risk) are also inappropriatedisposal methods 41 ).Cigarette littering behaviour is driven by the attitudes and knowledge of smokers, and isinfluenced by their social and environmental context.37 Marine Conservation Society (Aug 2004) Cigarette Litter on Beaches – Marine Conservation SocietyStatement38 Register, K (2000) Cigarette Butts as Litter, Toxic as Well as Ugly underwater Naturalist, Bulletin of the AmericanLittoral Society, 25:239 ENCAMS (2005) LEQSE 2004-200540 Defra (1999) Environmental Protection Act 1990, Code of Practice for Litter and Refuse41 Hobart City Council (2004), Cigarette Butt Reduction Project for Hobart’s CBD, www.buttlitteringtrust.orgSituation Report - Final 11
Page 2 and 3: Table of Contents1 Foreward .......
Page 7 and 8: 3 IntroductionCigarette-related lit
Page 9 and 10: 4.1.3 CigarsA cigar is a roll of dr
Page 11: • Bars/clubs/restaurants - when d
Page 15 and 16: 5.3.2 Smokers contextSome smokers,
Page 17 and 18: The negative impact of litter on an
Page 19 and 20: 5.4.3.2 Social disamenitySmokers ag
Page 21 and 22: 5.5.7 Comments about cigarette litt
Page 23 and 24: • Appeal to reason and considerat
Page 25 and 26: ButtsOut: ButtsOut are suppliers of
Page 27 and 28: uneven (eg cobbled) streets in Irel
Page 29 and 30: a. Design - including volume, allow
Page 31 and 32: 6.3 LegislationLegislation that inf
Page 33 and 34: 6.4 International Management Models
Page 35 and 36: 7 Conclusion and RecommendationsCig
Page 37 and 38: Situation Report - Final 35

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