 Wales is blessed with a beautiful coastline which boasts the most beaches with Blue Flag status in the UK. Since the above Smokefree Beaches campaign was launched by ASH Wales, six beaches in Wales have introduced voluntary smoking bans. Cigarette butts are the number one most littered items in the world, posing a major threat to the marine environment. Every year 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded globally, with each one taking up to 12 years to degrade. ASH Wales believes preventing smoking on beaches in Wales will play a major role in helping to reduce cigarette litter, protect wildlife and prevent young children from starting smoking. Litter and pollution 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are dropped across the world each year. They are made with a form of plastic called cellulose acetate which takes up to 12 years to biodegrade. Danger to animals and marine life Cigarette butts are toxic and filled with deposits of tars and chemicals, which leach out into the sea and poison marine wildlife. Birds and small animals swallow butts, resulting in poisoning, malnutrition and even death. Young people ash.wales is campaigning for children and young people to have the right to play and meet their friends in a clean and healthy environment. Smoking at the beach creates the impression that it is a harmless activity but in reality it kills more than 5,000 people a year in Wales. Second-hand smoke Just as toxic outdoors as it is indoors and depends on wind speed, direction and the number and proximity of smokers. 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible and contains over 4000 chemicals, 69 of which are cancer-causing. For more information click on the following link: Smokefree Beaches - Action on Smoking and Health (ash.wales)
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