Bag the Butts
Bag the Butts™ Toolkits Are Ready! Are You?
April 22, 2022 is Earth Day. This year’s theme is Invest in Our Planet. A great way to join in on Earth Day celebrations is to take part in Breathe New Hampshire’s annual Bag the Butts™ program Take advantage of the nice weather this spring and summer and do a yard, neighborhood, or community clean-up! Bagging the Butts can take place throughout the year, not just on Earth Day.
During your activity take photos of the clean-up and collected cigarette butts. With your participant’s permission, share photos with us at info@breathenh.org or #BagtheButts2022.
Breathe New Hampshire is not responsible for organizing or overseeing the community clean-ups. Local groups and organizations are responsible for supervising youth and adults participating in their community clean-ups.
Contact us at info@breathenh.org or call 603-669-2411 to request free Bag the Butts™ toolkits! (first come, first served).
Thank you to members of the Raymond Coalition for Youth for all their work for Operation Raymond Clean-up! This spring they collected cigarette waste as part of Breathe New Hampshire’s annual Bag the Butts™ program..
Why Should We Bag the Butts?
- 98% of all cigarette filters are made of very thin plastic fibers, called cellulose acetate.
- Under optimal conditions, cigarette filters can take 9 months to many years to decompose, breakdown or degrade.
- Cigarette butts are one of the most littered item on earth.
- Cigarette butts have been found in the stomachs of fish, whales, birds & other marine animals.
- Toxic chemicals, such as cadmium, lead & arsenic can leach from cigarette butts into the water and soil.
- Discarded cigarette butts can start forest fires.
- Cigarette butts are small enough to be eaten by children and small animals.
Cigarette butts remain one of the world’s greatest environmental litter problems, taking up to 10
years to decompose and leaching toxins into the ground and water. Breathe New Hampshire's Bag the Butts™ program has been promoting state-wide community clean-ups for over 10 years to raise awareness of the environmental impact of cigarette litter while educating people on the risks associated with tobacco use.
Tobacco use is not only a health issue - it is also an environmental issue. Click on Tobacco and the Environment to learn more.
