The GuardianThe Guardian

Cigarette butts: how the no 1 most littered objects are choking our coasts

By Ashifa Kassam

18 Aug 2022 · 6 min read

Editor's Note

This article describes the devastating impact that cigarette butts are having on our beaches. Read this article to find out why it is such a huge issue.

Some count long stretches of powdery white sand, others are fringed by dramatic cliffs. But no matter the beach or its location, there’s little escape from the blight that plagues many of them: cigarette butts.

Spain’s nearly 5,000 miles of coastline are no exception. “On beaches where smoking is allowed, unfortunately cigarette butts continue to rank as the most found waste product and the one with the most significant impact,” says Inés Sabanés a Spanish lawmaker with the Más País–Equo governing coalition.

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