#cigarette butts

[pale-grunge-dark]

[unbfacts]

[killyridols]

butt ends by michael elliott, 2009, 36 x 48 inches

[dacrylite]

my girl <3

[darkorangeoctober]

[indizombie]

Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet, with an estimated 4.5 trillion disposed of improperly every year, many of which end up in our waterways. Nicotine, pesticide residues and heavy metals leach from butts into the water, poisoning fish and the microorganisms on which they feed. But that isn’t all - cigarette filters are also made of a form of plastic which degrades into microplastics. As well as being consumed by fish, recent reports suggest that microplastics have now been found in human blood and organs. Whilst the health effects of this plastic accumulation are as yet unknown, we do know that microplastics cause damage to human cells in laboratory settings.

‘Plastics, the Environment and the Tobacco Industry’, Tobacco Tactics

[thegreatwhinger]

In The Butt

There have been many times in the past when I'd go out on my balcony and I'd find cigarette butts strewn about, which is really irritating because not only don't I smoke – it's not like weed, where at least you get the benefit of a buzz – never mind they're valid reasons they're called cancer sticks or coffin nails.

In the past I'd give the balcony a sweep when the weather is warmer, after I called the management office to let them know about it, though the process to do so has become much more involved never mind not stopping the behavior.

So this time I gathered them up – there were just two, which is two more than there should be – and placed them at the front door of the apartment above mine, since the likelihood is fairly high that's where they were coming from in the first place.

[bumblebeeappletree]

Every week, Eco India brings you stories that inspire you to build a cleaner, greener and better tomorrow.

Cigarettes pose a big risk to human health. Their impact on the environment is less well-known. So consider this: Trillions of toxic cigarette butts are tossed out every year, and most don’t land in the trash. Initiatives here in India aim to tackle the problem at its source, and are converting these tiny stubs into sustainable, practical products.

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Credits:

Supervising Producer: Nooshin Mowla

Script & Field Producer: Jessica Goel

Video Editor: Sujit Lad

Associate Producer: Ipsita Basu

Director of Photography: Richard Kujur

Camera Assistant: Abhishek Yadav

Executive Producer: Sannuta Raghu

[twistedwhitesnow]

[lurkinggreenphantom]

A Couple Of Bosses On Smoko

[mopsburgfalls]

[trishots1990]

[badseed-63]

www.badseedphoto.com

[foundlingthings]

Lighter, Cigarette Butt