A new campaign has been launched to eliminate cigarette butts, the most common plastic waste worldwide.
With 3.9 million cigarette butts discarded daily in the UK, they account for one in five littered items, harming the environment and costing councils £40 million annually in clean-up efforts.
Cigarette butts are currently made from cellulose acetate, a type of plastic that takes up to a decade to break down, harming wildlife and contaminating water sources.
The campaign argues that a shift to biodegradable filters would significantly reduce environmental damage and prevent millions of plastic filters from entering the ecosystem.
The plastic free butt campaign calls for an amendment to the tobacco and vapes bill, which would require cigarette manufacturers to switch to biodegradable filters within 12 months.
The amendment, has gained cross-party support and polling shows overwhelming public backing, with 86% of adults agreeing that cigarette manufacturers should be legally required to switch to biodegradable alternatives.
Even among current smokers, 77% support the move.
The amendment will be debated when the tobacco and vapes bill returns to the house of commons later this month.
If approved, the new law could take effect by June, setting a precedent for global action against cigarette filter pollution.
