GRG joined a group of volunteers in picking up cigarette ends in St Peter Port on Monday 4th March. The event was organised by Andrew Munro, from Pick it Up Guernsey.

The volunteers aimed to collect 2,500 cigarette ends from town over the lunch hour; each person walking a different route through the lanes around the High Street. However, Andrew estimates that some 10,000 cigarettes were collected!

Contrary to common belief, cigarette ends are not made of paper. The filter is made of cellulose acetate, which breaks down into a micro plastic. Unless disposed of properly, cigarette ends can persist in the environment for up to 15 years, and are highly toxic. A single cigarette butt in a litre of water is lethal to all micro-organisms within 24 hours. Micro plastics enter to food chain; and recent studies have found micro plastics in the stomachs of even deep sea organisms.

Unfortunately, many people toss their cigarette ends onto the ground or down drains, mistakenly thinking that the butt is just made of paper and will decompose. The “Cigarette Buster” volunteers aim to raise awareness about the environmental impact of cigarette butts.

If you would like to join in future events, visit the Pick It Up Guernsey facebook page.

[Image: Guernsey Press Article, 6th March 2019]