Thank you to everyone who participated in our sixth annual 2024 Butt Blitz from September 14, 2024 through October 31, 2024. The results were nothing short of astounding with 72,729* filters collected in just a month and a half.

A decade of collecting and counting cigarette filters

Since 2014, Pacific Beach Coalition volunteers have collected a little more than 2 million cigarette filters. This amounts to about 2,000 pounds of debris that has been saved from entering our waterways and recycled with our partners at TerraCycle.

Why are cigarette filters such a threat to our oceans?

Cigarette filters are composed of thousands of tiny plastic fibers that break down into microplastics, entering the marine food chain and posing significant risks to wildlife and human health. With the Butt Blitz campaign, the Pacific Beach Coalition is actively addressing this issue, demonstrating the power of community action in combating ocean pollution.

Cigarette filters, those tiny but toxic menaces, have been wreaking havoc on our oceans for far too long. They may be small, but they are a big part of the global pollution problem, ranking as the number one trashed item worldwide. To combat this issue, volunteers rally to pick up as many cigarette filters as possible before the winter rainy season arrives in Pacifica.

You can make a big difference by picking up small microplastics and butts

We welcome people of all ages to join our annual Butt Blitz. This year, one of our neighbors made waves when she delivered more than 17,000 cigarette butts to us. Saeko, an inspirational 86-year-old Earth Hero, scoured streets, parks and parking lots from Linda Mar to Skyline Boulevard in Pacifica. Check out her haul!

Are you ready to do your part? Our next Butt Blitz is a year away but you can still collect cigarette filters at one of our monthly beach cleanups. Join us! We hope to see you soon.

*72,729 is the corrected number of cigarette filters for the 2024 Butt Blitz. We previously reported 74,571 on social media — oops!