Bag the Butts
Bag the Butts™ clean-ups are not just for Earth Day. This spring and summer take advantage of the nice weather and do a yard, neighborhood, or community clean-up!
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 #BagtheButts2021.
Contact us at info@breathenh.org or call 603-669-2411 to request free Bag the Butts™ toolkits! (first come, first served).
Local groups and organizations are responsible for supervising youth and adults participating in their community clean-ups. Breathe New Hampshire is not responsible for organizing or overseeing the community clean-ups.
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™ 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.
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.
