Marine Life & Conservation
Cigarette butts must not be left out of Scotland’s plastics debate any longer, say charities
Marine Conservation Society and ASH Scotland tell Cabinet Secretary to put filters alongside straws and cups.
Two Scottish charities have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, asking her to include cigarette filters, alongside plastic straws and single-use coffee cups, in her brief to the Scottish Government Advisory Expert Panel on Environmental Charging and Other Measures which advises on sustainable changes in consumer and producer behaviour.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), based in Edinburgh and ASH Scotland – the charity that takes action to reduce the harm caused by tobacco – say that with cigarette butts clearly identified as one of the key components of single-use marine litter, it is hard to see how a credible action plan to reduce single-use plastic waste in our oceans could possibly exclude them.
Last year’s MCS-organised Great British Beach Clean saw volunteers record over 1,500 cigarette stubs on the 135 Scottish beaches they cleaned and surveyed in just one weekend, whilst globally a staggering 2,412,151 were recorded by volunteers on the Saturday of the International Coastal Clean-up last September.
In their joint letter to the Cabinet Secretary, MCS and ASH Scotland, said almost all of the four billion cigarette butts discarded each year in Scotland are made of a cellulose acetate plastic. They state: ‘Whilst this form of plastic does degrade in certain conditions, it can take up to 12 years, breaking down into progressively smaller pieces while at the same time leaching out thousands of chemicals, many of which are toxic to marine life.’
The letter concludes: ‘We believe that plastic cigarette filters should be categorised alongside plastic cotton-bud stems, straws and cups as optional consumer choices, and be the subject of appropriate regulatory action. Yet cigarette filters have been a neglected element of the plastics debate.
‘The European Union, through the Single Use Plastics Directive (“Reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment”), has recognised cigarette butts as one of the top 10 most commonly found items on our beaches. However, unlike some other single use plastic items which have been subject to a ban or reduction, cigarettes will only be subject to an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme which will contribute to covering clean-up costs.’
John Watson, Deputy Chief Executive ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Scotland, said: “Interestingly the tobacco industry suggests that filters should be not be included in current considerations because they “are not made of a petrochemical plastic”. It seems to me that the question is not over where a product comes from, but where it ends up and what harm it causes when it gets there. This would include the world’s oceans, where cigarette butts release toxins and could be ingested by wildlife.”
Catherine Gemmell, MCS Scotland Conservation Officer, said: “To stop the plastic tide for good we need radical change at every level – yes we need those who use cigarettes to dispose of them properly, but can’t we also have action at the top of the supply chain? Do they have to be made of plastic in the first place?
“If the Expert Panel can investigate measures to change or reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans from cigarette filters and then have the Scottish Government lead the way in implementing them, we will have taken a massive step towards the plastic free seas Scotland deserves.”
Find out more at www.mcsuk.org.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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