DON'T FLICK IT! 2024

A Europe-wide cigarette butt collection campaign and a strong signal against the invisible but devastating environmental pollution caused by cigarette butts.

The Europe-wide cigarette butt collection campaign organized by the Surfrider Foundation brought together thousands of volunteers to combat one of the biggest environmental problems: discarded cigarette butts. The HEIMPLANET team was also involved. This campaign was not only a clean-up operation, but also a strong signal to draw attention to the environmental dangers of cigarette filters.

Why cigarette butts?

Cigarette butts are often underestimated, but they pose a serious threat to the environment. A cigarette consists of up to 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine, arsenic, mercury and lead). The filters are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that takes over a decade to break down, releasing toxic micro- and nanoparticles. These tiny particles end up in nature along with all the chemicals. Dumps are light enough to be carried by wind and rain into sewers and waterways, ultimately ending up in the sea via detours.

The extent of the problem

Every year, around 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are thrown away worldwide, which end up in the oceans through wind and rain. In view of these enormous quantities, Surfrider emphasizes that cigarette butts belong in the trash, not on the streets or beaches.

Surfrider's mission

With this campaign, Surfrider not only wanted to collect litter, but also to highlight the responsibility of the tobacco industry, which has been trivializing the littering of cigarette butts for decades. Due to their toxicity, recycling cigarette butts is difficult, which is why Surfrider proposes incineration as an alternative. New challenges, such as e-cigarettes with lithium batteries, also require separate collection campaigns and a ban on disposable e-cigarettes!

The Europe-wide collection campaign sent out a strong signal against the invisible but devastating environmental pollution caused by cigarette butts. It highlighted the urgent need for better waste management practices and a rethink of how we deal with cigarette waste in order to protect our environment in the long term.

Surfrider says thank you!

Your commitment shows impressively what a strong community can achieve and how important the commitment to clean waters is. Every collected butt counts and strengthens our influence on decision-makers!