Research shows litter returns quickly, pointing to the need for prevention rather than
repeated cleanups.
San Diego, CA — A new study from San Diego State University’s Center for Tobacco and
the Environment finds that cigarette butt cleanups do not lead to lasting reductions in
cigarette butt pollution. Published in ACS ES&T Water, the study shows that cigarette
butts accumulate on sidewalks and streets and quickly return after they are removed.
This indicates that cleanup-only methods are ineffective unless carried out with
unrealistic frequency.
Cigarette butts are the most littered items in the world and are a major source of
environmental microplastic and chemical pollution. Although cities and volunteer groups
often organize cleanup efforts to remove visible litter, the findings suggest that these
efforts alone are not enough to prevent cigarette butt pollution from returning.
Researchers examined areas around 29 storm drains in San Diego’s Pacific Beach
neighborhood, where urban runoff flows into the Kendall Frost Reserve at the north end
of Mission Bay. They found that about 80 cigarette butts accumulated each day across
the study sites, totaling roughly 29,000 cigarette butts annually. Even after multiple
complete removals, cigarette butt litter quickly reaccumulated. Within two weeks, the
number of cigarette butts had rebounded to about half of previous levels. To keep
discarded cigarette butts down to just 10% of prior levels, complete cleanups would need
to happen every other day — a pace beyond what cities and volunteer groups can
realistically maintain.
“Cleanup efforts may make an area look better temporarily, but they do not solve the
underlying problem,” said Georg Matt. “As long as cigarettes include a cellulose acetate
filter, and the butts with these filters continue to be discarded at current rates, they will
keep building up in the same locations. There, they can continue to release microplastics
and toxic chemicals that may be carried into bays, rivers, and coastal waters.”
The authors conclude that meaningful reductions in tobacco product waste will require
prevention-focused strategies that target the source of litter. These strategies include
educating the public about the environmental damage caused by cigarette butts,
expanding smokefree outdoor areas, and banning cigarette filters. The findings add to
growing evidence that lasting progress on cigarette butt pollution will require a shift from
repeated cleanups to upstream prevention.
Article: “Why Cleanups Do Not Work: Accumulation and Reaccumulation of Cigarette Butts on
Runoff-Contributing Surfaces near Storm Water Inlets” ACS ES&T Water
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestwater.5c01109
About the Center for Tobacco and the Environment
The Center for Tobacco and the Environment at San Diego State University conducts
research on the impacts of commercial tobacco products in indoor and outdoor
environments.