Cigarette butts thrown in drains

Half of all regular smokers believe it is acceptable to discard cigarette butts down the drain – despite expert warnings about the risk it poses to marine wildlife, a survey has suggested.

A study for environment charity Keep Britain Tidy found 52 per cent of daily smokers polled said they did not see a problem with getting rid of their cigarette butts in this way.

Meanwhile, only 53 per cent of those surveyed said they realised ends would finish up in the sea when dropped down the drain.

Nearly two in five smokers (39 per cent) polled said they had discarded a butt this way during the last month, despite 77 per cent saying they were concerned that toxins from their cigarettes can harm marine life.

The survey of 4,146 people – including 502 smokers – was carried out by Yougov to mark the launch of Keep Britain Tidy’s Flicking Blue Murder campaign, raising awareness of the link between cigarettes and the marine environment.

It comes after the BBC’S Blue Plant II series which raised the profile of the oceans’ plight.

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogdennewton said: “While flicking a cigarette down the drain may not seem harmful, we need to ensure smokers understand that this has a direct and often drastic impact on wildlife.”