In an effort to combat harmful cigarette butt littering, a South African waste removal company has created giant cigarette butts made of recycled material to encourage environmental responsibility.
Littering has become a massive issue in the City, with cigarette butts commonly strewn across our streets, beaches and natural landscape all over.
“As you walk along the beach or take a hike anywhere in the country this festive season you will find cigarette butts scattered all over the place, defacing the natural beauty of your surroundings,” says WRAPP CEO Clive Amsel.
Littered cigarette butts are a widespread harmful environmental pollutant, negatively impacting plant growth and contributing to plastic pollution.
“Not many people know this, but cigarette butts consist of a form of plastic called cellulose acetate,” explains executive director of the National Council Against Smoking, Savera Kalideen. “It takes months – and sometimes years – for cigarette butts to break down into smaller pieces of cellulose acetate plastic – but it will never biodegrade,” she explains.
To combat this, South African waste removal and recycling service WRAPP started the KiickButt initiative. WRAPP have created giant imitation cigarette butts made from decommissioned telephone poles and placed them in popular areas such as Llandudno beach and Lion’s Head. They plan to extend the installation to Scarborough, Fishhoek, Platteklip Gorge, Umhlanga, and the Cederberg mountains soon.
By creating this initiative, Amsel aims to encourage people to do their bit towards recycling, which will in turn encourage a culture of environmental responsibility, especially when it comes to waste.
Image: Instagram / Kiikbutt