Tobacco and Vape Litter: An Escalating Environmental Threat

The Most Common—and Dangerous—Litter in the World

Cigarette butts are the most littered item on Earth. In California, they remain the most frequently found trash on beaches, streets, rivers, and parks. They are toxic, persistent, and deadly—posing severe risks to the environment, public health, and local governments’ bottom lines.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, cigarette butts have topped the list of collected litter at every International Coastal Cleanup since 1986. In a single day, more than 2 million cigarette butts were collected globally. Up to two-thirds of all smoked cigarettes in the U.S. are littered, rather than properly disposed of

Toxic Ingredients, Long-Term Consequences

A single cigarette filter contains up to 60 known human carcinogens including arsenic, lead, formaldehyde, and chromium. When discarded, these chemicals leach into soil and waterways, harming aquatic life. In fact, just one cigarette butt in a liter of water can kill half the fish exposed to it, according to a San Diego State University study.

Moreover, cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate—a plastic that does not biodegrade. These plastic remnants have been found in the stomachs of turtles, seabirds, whales, and fish, contributing to the global microplastic crisis

Youth Use and a New Wave of Waste: Disposable Vapes

In recent years, tobacco waste has taken a more toxic, modern form: disposable e-cigarettes. These devices, often flavored and brightly packaged, have become the leading entry point for youth nicotine addiction. But they are also fueling an environmental disaster.

  • 4.5 disposable vapes are discarded every second in the U.S.

  • In 2023, an estimated 5 million disposable vapes were thrown away or littered each week in the U.K., nearly quadruple the amount from the previous year

  • Nearly 70% of young users in the U.S. throw vapes in the trash, 13% put them in recycling bins, and 9% litter them directly on the ground

Unlike cigarette butts, disposable vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, nicotine salts, plastic casings, and heavy metals—making them an environmental and fire hazard. Once trashed or littered, they can start fires in collection trucks and waste facilities or leach toxins into water and soil

A Costly Burden on Local Governments

California communities spend an estimated $428 million annually on litter cleanup just to protect water quality and meet stormwater regulations—costs that do not include waste disposal or recycling programs.

In cities like Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Merced, litter abatement costs exceed $10–$30 per resident per year, especially for stormwater system retrofits, beach cleanup, and public education. A 2020 simulation model estimates that just the tobacco product waste (TPW) from cigarettes imposes a cost burden of $264.5 million annually across the 30 largest U.S. cities, with an average per capita TPW cost of $6.46.

The rise in disposable vape waste—virtually unrecyclable and unregulated—is only worsening this fiscal strain. In fact, the U.K.’s recent impact assessments for a vape ban estimated that fire risk, hazardous waste management, and clean-up costs would collectively reach into the billions over the next decade

What Can Be Done?

There is no justification for products that are designed to be addictive and disposable, yet contain hazardous materials. Tobacco and vape product manufacturers must be held accountable. We need:

  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs for tobacco and vaping waste

  • Bans on disposable vape products that cannot be refilled or safely recycled

  • Public education campaigns about the toxic lifecycle of cigarette and vape litter

  • Hazardous waste collection infrastructure that can handle lithium batteries and nicotine

  • Legislative action, like California's AB 762, to stem the tide of vape waste