Brandenburg schools collect 60,000 cigarette butts for the environment!

Brandenburg schools collect 60,000 cigarette butts for the environment!

An impressive project has developed in Brandenburg that creatively raises students' awareness of environmental protection. Several schools in the region took part under the motto “Cigarette Butt Challenge 2025” and achieved remarkable results. In total, around 12 kilograms of cigarette butts were collected, which corresponds to around 60,000 butts. This challenge was not only a competition among the students, but also a significant contribution to improving environmental protection.

How meetingpoint-brandenburg.de reported that groups from various schools took part, including 5a and 5b from the Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi School and all classes from BOS Kirchmöser. The school environment group at the Havelschule and several classes at the von Saldern-Gymnasium, as well as the junior rescue team from the DRK water rescue service, also took part. The collected butts were packed in bottles, buckets and garbage bags and documented - some groups created videos and articles for their school newspapers.

A real contribution to environmental protection

The environmental protection contribution of this project is considerable: by removing cigarette butts, around 3 million liters of groundwater were protected from contamination. A single cigarette butt is known to contaminate 40 to 60 liters of water. This clearly shows how important it is to dispose of cigarette waste properly and to point out the dangers posed by these small, often overlooked wastes.

Loud tagesschau.de Around two thirds of smoked cigarettes end up in nature and not only cause damage to flora and fauna, but also serious health risks for humans. UNESCO estimates that 5.6 trillion cigarettes are smoked every year, with filters made of plastic and microplastics that are difficult to remove from the environment. These contain toxic substances such as nicotine, arsenic and other heavy metals that enter the groundwater and damage it. Proper disposal could prevent such devastating consequences.

Innovative solutions for a clean planet

The campaign to combat the cigarette butt problem has now become an international challenge. According to studies, including from initiatives such as klimaschutz-mh.de, the correct disposal of cigarette waste is essential. Initiatives are calling for cigarette manufacturers to be held responsible for the environmental impact of their products - whether by funding public awareness campaigns or by improving the provision of ashtrays in public places.

On June 30, 2025, the conclusion of the cigarette butt challenge took place in the Krugpark nature conservation center, where the participants were awarded certificates and 200 euros in prize money each for their achievements. A nice incentive to stay active in the future and fight for a cleaner planet!