Are cigarette butts biodegradable? (1 Viewer)

Dave Poehlman · Jun 10, 2002

After reading this about the brushfires out West:

they suspect it was started by someone who threw a cigarette butt out of their vehicle while off-roading.

Why do some smokers feel this is acceptable behavior?
Yesterday, I was sitting in my car while the Mrs. ran into the store for some grocs. I watched a man approach the store, take the last drag off his cigarette, and throw it on the ground all within 2 feet of an ashtray by the store entrance!
I did see another gentleman actually use the ashtray shortly thereafter.. so, there are some "considerate smokers" out there.

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Scooter · Jun 10, 2002

The ashtray in my car get's a LOT of use!!! And watching others fling cigs out the window annoys the hell out of me as well. Aside from fire issues..it's simply vulgar and crude.

Ryan Wright · Jun 10, 2002

I'm hopping on the "bad dirty littering smokers" bandwagon here, too. (I know, not all smokers are litterbugs. To those of you who are considerate with your smoke and your cigarette butts: Thank you...)

What pisses me off the most is when they fling it out the window on the freeway. I have had lit cigarettes hit my windshield and throw little sparks all over my car on more than one occasion. I'd call 911, but I know that nobody would give a damn.

Steve Schaffer · Jun 10, 2002

Are the designer water bottles, beer cans, used pampers, etc, that I see littering the roadside biodegradable?

And how about those inconsiderate lightning strikes that have been causing wildfires since long before anyone cultivated tobacco?

NO, there is no excuse for inconsiderate smokers. Nor is there any excuse for those who throw any other junk out of their car windows.

Mark Larson · Jun 10, 2002

IMO, smokers are just an easy target because they don't fight back - this

age of PC.
I don't smoke and advise my near and dear people not to - but i hate this taking away of rights as much as the next smoker. They're paying through their nose to enjoy a few drags, aren't they? (In more ways than one)

Ted Lee · Jun 10, 2002

i can't stand it when people throw their butts out the window. i always wish i was a police officer at that moment - if it was within my power, i would pull every one of them over.
i can't figure out how people will inhale the stuff into their lungs, but then not be willing to leave the butt in their car.
go figure.
and for those who are considerate smokers...thank you!

Bill Slack · Jun 10, 2002

Are the designer water bottles, beer cans, used pampers, etc, that I see littering the roadside biodegradable?

And how about those inconsiderate lightning strikes that have been causing wildfires since long before anyone cultivated tobacco?

Are you really using that as a defense?

Yeah, the water and beer bottles and pampers annoy me too. But I don't see a lot of folks doing that in my daily driving, but I do see tons of butts flying at the window, including the ones that hit my car!

It's not a personal attack. Maybe most smokers don't do this, but it seems quite a lot do. I've caught my friends tossing their butts into my yard and are amazed when I tell them to go pick them up. I don't get it.

And lightning? Wow. By that logic murder is fine because people die naturally.

No, it's not the worst problem facing society, but it does seem to be a pretty common practice, for no apparent reason.

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Philip_G · Jun 10, 2002

nothing annoys me more than when I'm following a car on my motorcycle and the driver flicks a cigarette out the window at me

Scott Merryfield · Jun 11, 2002

I found one very curious item missing from my new 2002 Nissan Altima 3.5SE that I purchased a couple of months ago -- an ash tray. While it's not a huge deal for me, being a non-smoker who will not let anyone smoke in my car, I can see this contributing to the cigarette butt littering problem in the future if ash trays are omitted from new car models. Maybe Nissan offered a tray as an option, but I never even thought to ask, and I certainly didn't think to look for one during the test drive.

I also miss the tray, since I have always used the ones in my previous cars to store loose change.

Micah Cohen · Jun 11, 2002

What I love are the hippie VW Microbuses, with the "Don't Litter" and "Love Your Mother Earth" bumper stickers... And then FLICK! comes the cigarette butt out the window!

My next bumper sticker will say CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE LITTER, ASSHOLE. (I saw one at unamerican.com that says "The World is My Ashtray," which I thought was pretty funny.)

Just another "those drivers should have their own lane" driving peeve, I guess. I don't see it as a smoking/nonsmoking thing. Honestly, the more people who smoke, the more who die sooner. (Is that too harsh?)

MC

John Spencer · Jun 11, 2002

Are cigarette butts biodegradable?

No, but smokers are.

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Dave Poehlman · Jun 11, 2002

My next bumper sticker will say CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE LITTER, ASSHOLE.

I'll buy one!

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Scooter · Jun 11, 2002

Actually...My cigs are biodegradable. I smoke camel non-filters. And now that I think of it...I do not recall seeing filtered cigs lasting a long time on the ground either.

Mark Paquette · Jun 11, 2002

I have absolutely nothing against smokers, actually used to be one myself, but that was years ago. To each his own I say. Anyway, it really chaps my a$$ when a smoker flicks their cigarette butt out the window while I'm driving behind them. I think it's just rude and inconsiderate. So many time I've been tempted to pass them and then drive in front of them while I flick small objects out my window for them to enjoy. Things like gum I've been chewing for a while, loose change, the apple core from the apple I just ate, or how about a banana peel? I'd probably get arrested for that though. :frowning:
Or..... the smokers that use the lake I enjoy my weekends on and like to throw their butts into the lake when they are done with them. It's always so appealing have a lipstick covered cig butt looking you in the eye while you're swimming. And now, they don't sink. The people that live on lake get to enjoy them as they wash up on their beach.

Charles J P · Jun 11, 2002

I imagine that cigarette butts are biodegradable since they are just cotton (a plant fiber) filters wrapped in paper (a plant fiber). My dad throws his butts out on his own property, but usually "field dresses**" his butts if he is around other people.

**Fully extinquising the cigarrette by rolling between your finger and thumb so the last bit of ash and unburnt tobacco fall out and all that is left is the filter, and then pocketing the but to dispose of properly.

JonZ · Jun 11, 2002

Notice how cigarette trays are becomming smaller and smaller in cars. I remember a car I had in high school had a huge one under the radio plus 2 in the back. My dad just got a new - NONE in the back and a dinky one under the dash.

"i always wish i was a police officer at that
moment - if it was within my power, i would pull every one of them over"

Yea why try to serve and protect people from real crimes when you can pick on smokers all day.

Ted Lee · Jun 11, 2002

jonz - last i checked litering (sp?) is a real crime!

just hasslin' ya...i get your point....heck i think i agree with it.
how about only when i'm "off-duty" then?

Matt Stryker · Jun 11, 2002

My cigs are biodegradable. I smoke camel non-filters.

Oy! I did for about a month, but that whole exhaling pure blue smoke thing got to me. Sure is a great way to ensure no one ever bums cigarettes off you though.

I use my ashtray in the car to keep my butts in, and I never smoke with non-smokers in the car. I honestly think that roadside litter is becoming a serious problem (especially in the south, where nothing seems to biodegrade).

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Cam S · Jun 11, 2002

Actually...My cigs are biodegradable. I smoke camel non-filters. And now that I think of it...I do not recall seeing filtered cigs lasting a long time on the ground either.

Good god I feel sorry for your lungs, not to mention your breath. Camels have GOT TO BE the WORST smelling cigarette ever made. I can tolerate the smell of every other kind but those make me feel like throwing up.

It doesn't matter how biodegradable your ciggarettes are, they'll still burn 30,000+ acres of forest if you throw them out the window, come on, use common sense.

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Ryan Wright · Jun 11, 2002

Yea why try to serve and protect people from real crimes when you can pick on smokers all day.

Yeah, those poor smokers. Pulling them over and citing them for littering is harassment. I mean, it's not like lit cigarettes cause fires, or anything. Especially in this dry desert region where I've lived most of my life, we rarely have big fires caused by discarded cigarettes. A few major roadside fires per year is rare, right?

I know someone who had a lit cigarette (thrown out by the driver in front of her) fly into her open window and catch her back seat on fire. Tell me again how this isn't a real crime?

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