Three in 10 smokers wrongly believe cigarette butts are biodegradable, according to research.<br /><br />A study of 1,000 smokers revealed 38 per cent have tossed a stub down a drain, with three in 10 believing this to be an ‘appropriate’ method of disposal.<br /><br />More than a third (34 per cent) even thought binning them in drains would accelerate the breakdown of the cigarettes.<br /><br />Key reasons for discarding fag-ends this way include being in a rush (23 per cent) or simply feeling that everyone else does it so they may as well to the same (15 per cent).<br /><br />The study was commissioned by Keep Britain Tidy, which is working with a London pub to highlight cigarette-related litter problems, after its data revealed hospitality premises see among the highest volumes of discard butts.<br /> <br />'The White Swan', in Twickenham, is being renamed to 'The Poisoned Swan' to highlight the impact dropping butts down drains has on wildlife.<br /><br />New patron, Johnny Vegas, said: "It seems a lot of smokers don’t realise they’re doing more harm than good by disposing of their butts in drains.”
