New SDSU research shows that left-over chemicals leach into the environment and kill fish.
Jump to full article: San Diego State University , 2009-05-01
Author: Gina Jacobs
Intro: Story Highlights
* Cigarette butts an environmental danger
* Are cigarette butts hazardous waste?
* About the Cigarette Butt Advisory Group
Every year billions of cigarette butts end up on our beaches and in the ocean
. . .
"The most important finding in this research is that it seems to be the filter, or rather what's in the left-over filter that is most dangerous to our water," Gersberg said.
Cigarette filters are made of cellulose-acetate, which is not readily biodegradable.
An estimated 1.69 billion pounds of butts wind up as litter worldwide each year.
Cigarette Butts Are Hazardous Waste
In response to these new findings, the national Cigarette Butt Advisory Group (CBAG) has made the recommendation that cigarette butts be placed on the list of hazardous waste.
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