New research has discovered that cigarette butts – the most common form of litter on the planet – significantly reduce plant growth.

Led by academics from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and published today in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, the study is the first to show the damage that cigarette butts can cause to plants.

The researchers found that the presence of cigarette butts in the soil reduces the germination success and shoot length (the length of the stem) of clover by 27% and 28% respectively, while root biomass (root weight) reduced by 57%. For grass, germination success reduced by 10% and shoot length by 13%. 

Read more at Anglia Ruskin University

• Sustainability
• Ecosystems