Cigarette Litter Prevention

Did you know?

Cigarette butts continue to rank among the most common types of marine debris found. 


The national Cigarette Litter Prevention Program started 11 years ago. In 2013, more than 100 communities launched some kind of cigarette litter control program or promotional effort to make people aware of the challenges and dangers of cigarette litter on our landscape and in our waterways.

There were 13 grant-supported implementation programs in 2013 across the country. Our local KBB was one of them.

How You Can Help

  • If you smoke, don’t flick your butt! Place it in a proper receptacle.
  • Be an environmental steward in your own community. Spread awareness about cigarette butt litter.
  • Purchase a pocket ashtray! These can fit in your pocket, purse, or backpack, where you extinguish cigarettes until they can be properly disposed of in the trash.

The Ocean Conservancy’s 2018 International Coastal Cleanup Report stated that 2,412,151 cigarette butts were collected worldwide in 2017. This is an increase from the 1,863,838 butts collected around the world in 2016.

REFERENCE:    NOAA Facts