Since July 1st 2007, smoking in public places has been banned in England. Over 40,000 gave up smoking in the months that followed- more than expected- and for many non - smokers it was a welcome relief. But the ban does not stop people “lighting up” outside, and this in itself creates many problems.

Outside, pubs, clubs and bars, groups of smokers huddle in groups, often sheltering from the rain and wind. But smokers also gather in the most unusual of places too. St Helier Hospital often has patients and staff alike sitting on the wall outside smoking. And, as a result of this a long line of cigarette butts lay on the floor, not gone, but certainly forgotten. An unattractive eyesore for passing pedestrians. It’s a myth amongst smokers that cigarette butts are degradable. Cigarette butts are non-biodegradable and take as long to decompose as most plastics. This is because they contain Cellulose Acetate, a form of plastic. They are also harmful to animals; mistake them for food harming them in turn. The cigarette butts have filters designed to trap toxins from cigarettes, where do all the toxins go when they are ‘disposed of?’ Blown by the wind, they can enter water systems and toxins build up. One cigarette may not be “a big deal” but the trillions that are dropped every year build up and are harmful to aquatic creatures.

So if you are a smoker, next time you have finished, bin it, is that such a bad idea?

By Aliza Catlin, Glenthorne High School.