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Clean City Commission warns cigarette butts are toxic to waterways after volunteers collect hundreds of thousands
Summary
Commission staff told the council volunteers collected 223,118 cigarette butts in 2012 and noted a single downtown cleanup yielded nearly 7,000 butts in one hour, underscoring the commission's concern about cigarette litter reaching Hampton waterways.
The Hampton Clean City Commission told the City Council that cigarette butts are a significant litter and water‑quality problem after volunteers collected 223,118 butts in 2012.
"They count cigarette litter to educate the public about the harm even small pieces of litter can do," Executive Coordinator Debbie Blantonford said while reporting the commission's cleanup totals. The commission said volunteers picked up nearly 7,000 cigarette butts in a one‑hour downtown cleanup, using the example to underscore the volume of toxic litter entering waterways.
Blantonford explained why the commission emphasizes cigarette litter: "litter is because it is actually a toxic litter when it gets into our waterways," she said, noting the group's education and beach/waterway awareness activities.
The commission also described school and community outreach intended to reduce cigarette litter, including classroom programs and public education tied to its annual litter index. No council action or ordinance was proposed during the Spotlight segment.
