Cigarettes are a big problem on the beaches, both ecologically and aesthetically. As a solution, the Sunce Association has made free paper ashtrays for the beach within ML Repair Project. Disposable (or multiple) ashtrays are made of biodegradable paper and have instructions for easy assembly. They are used in a way that you put sand in the ashtray itself, and the ashtrays are then stuck to the ground so that they can stand unhindered. After use, the ashtray is taken out of the sand, and the sand goes through the hole at the bottom of the ashtray. From there the ashtray is dropped into the nearby garbage bin.
Unfortunately, most of the used cigarettes end up in sand or in the sea. The seams in the sea are decomposed for 5 years or on land for more than 15 years. Experts say that 500 million cigarettes are discarded annually in the Croatian part of the Adriatic, which are then found in the stomachs of birds, fish, whales and other marine organisms.
Small children playing in sand, fish, birds and other organisms living on our beaches are directly affected by the pollution of the beach from cigarette smoking. In addition, UV rays promote the degradation of cellulose fibers from fluorescence compositions similar to plastics that pass into the ground and surface water, thus also presenting hazardous waste. “Therefore, we want to encourage smokers on the beach to use ashtrays and thus contribute to the protection of the environment, so that our coastline is clean and free of rubbish!”
The objective of the ML-REPAIR project (REducing and Preventing, an integrated approach to Marine Litter Management in the Adriatic Sea) is to prevent and reduce the inclusion and dispersal of waste in the Adriatic Sea. As part of the project, a video “Let’s Beach About It!” Was also made, with an inspirational message: “Enjoy the beach, but leave it clean. Every time you leave the beach, pick up a piece of waste whether it’s yours or someone else.”
Let our beaches stay clean and litter free!