Cigarette butts are among the most abundant types of garbage in the our oceans.
Plastic straws aren’t our biggest problem when it comes to ocean human-produced waste.
According to NBC News environmental research, scientists have found traces of these chemicals in roughly 70 percent of seabirds and about 30 percent of sea turtles.
The filters of 5.6 trillion cigarettes made around the world each year, composed of cellulose acetate, can take more than ten years to decompose.
Nick Mallos, director of the Trash Free Seas campaign for the Ocean Conservancy, said:
“More research is needed to determine exactly what happens to all of that.”
Now Cigarette Butt Pollution Project campaign, is hoping to change attitudes towards these filters.
Cigarette butts leach chemicals and heavy metals into the environment that are toxic to fresh and salt-water fish. They are poisonous when ingested by children and other living organisms. Cigarette butt waste has polluted our beaches, parks and communities long enough – it’s time to take action!
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