Cigarette Litter

Cigarettes are the most littered item globally. An estimated 65% of all cigarettes are tossed on the ground instead of placed in an ashtray or waste receptacle. In Canada, over 8,000 tonnes of cigarette butts are littered each year. Cleanup volunteers collected 560,432 cigarette butts from Canadian shorelines in 2018 to help protect our waterways.

Cigarette filters contain a type of plastic called cellulose acetate, which can take up to 12 years to break down but will not decompose naturally. Cigarettes contain toxic chemicals which can leach into the environment, contaminate water and poison wildlife.

• Only smoke in areas where smoking is permitted under the Smoke Free Ontario Act and the City of Hamilton’s bylaws regulating smoking in public places and workplaces (PDF, 199 KB) and smoking in City parks and recreation areas.
• Always place cigarette butts in an ashtray or garbage receptacle once they are extinguished.

• Provide ashtrays and garbage receptacles in public areas where smoking is permitted.
• Clean and maintain City-owned ashtrays and garbage receptacles on a regular basis.
• Provide resources and training for volunteer groups who want to help clean up cigarette butts and other litter items in parks, roads etc. such as the Team Up to Clean Up program.
• Increase awareness and engage residents and businesses through public education and outreach programs.