Cigarette butts make up 12% of aquatic litter, global review finds

A review pooling 130 studies from 55 countries between 2013 and 2024 found cigarette butts make up about 12% of litter in rivers, lakes, and beaches, and over half of all litter at some coastal sites in Iran, Chile, Brazil, and Peru. Researchers found roughly one butt every 4 square meters across all ecosystems studied.

The filters are cellulose acetate plastic that breaks into microplastics, while the burnt remainder leaches heavy metals and other toxins into water, the study's lead author said. Beaches were the biggest hotspots, and unprotected sites had nearly five times more butts than protected areas.

Bans on beach smoking, especially paired with fines, reduced litter in countries including Malaysia, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, the review found.

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