Box your Butts to keep them out of our drains, rivers and seas

Up to 5,000 cigarette butts are dropped down a single drain every year in Britain, according to our latest research. With more than 1,000,000 drains nationwide, this means that many millions of butts are ending up in UK waterways and ultimately, the sea. In fact, a third (30%) of smokers believe putting a butt down a drain is an appropriate way of getting rid of it - as did ambassador for our new campaign, Johnny Vegas.

The actor and comedian visited a riverside London pub, which changed its name from 'The White Swan' to 'The Poisoned Swan’, to highlight the impact littered cigarette butts can have on wildlife and the environmental impact of incorrectly discarding butts in drains. It comes as our new data finds that cigarette litter makes up 57% of all rubbish found in drains, with the hospitality industry having one of the highest volumes of littered cigarette butts outside their premises.

In the UK, many drains link directly to local watercourses, rivers and the sea. Cigarette butts are made out of plastic, which means they are not biodegradable and they also contain more than 7,000 different chemicals. Just one cigarette butt can contaminate up to 1,000 litres of water and every year 300,000 tons of microplastics are discharged into natural water bodies across the world. Research has shown that the toxins from cigarette butts can be ingested by small mammals, fish, birds and more, reducing the reproductive rate of some animals, which could lead to a reduction in biodiversity and wildlife.

So why are smokers littering their butts? Our study revealed that 47% of smokers* are unaware that cigarette butts littered into drains end up in waterways, seas and on beaches causing significant environmental harm. A third (30%) of smokers believe that this is an appropriate way of getting rid of it.

Campaign ambassador Johnny Vegas, who dropped in at the Poisoned Swan last week to show his support for the initiative, said: “It seems a lot of smokers don’t realise they’re doing more harm than good by disposing of their butts in drains. I was one of them!  

"I was once fined for throwing my ciggie down a drain. It is littering and does have a big impact - so make sure you use a bin or a pocket ashtray to dispose of them correctly.”

The White Swan landlord, Kevin O’Callaghan (below) explains: “We’re committed to helping raise awareness of this important environmental issue. We are a stone’s throw away from the River Thames and suspect that many of our patrons are inadvertently impacting its marine life - which is why we’re working with Keep Britain Tidy and new customer Johnny Vegas, who joined us here today, to help educate them and others of the potential consequences of their actions.”

The interventions at The Poisoned Swan are part of a wider campaign, where we are working with local authorities across the UK to disrupt the moment that smokers would consider dropping their butt down a drain. From pub signage changes, the provision of cigarette bins and Butt Boxes, to stencils near drains, our interventions have already reduced cigarette litter down drains by 57%.

Commenting on the campaign, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy (above) said: “Cigarette butts are the country’s - and the world’s - most widespread litter problem with billions being thrown on the ground or dropped down drains every year.

"These cigarette butts are made out of plastic and are covered in toxins, poisoning our environment.

“Many smokers believe that putting their butt down the drain is the right thing to do, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The best disposal methods for cigarette butts include bins and Butt Boxes (portable ashtrays which can be ordered here).