Over 17, 000 cigarette butts collected in environmental cleanup in Port Dickson

SEREMBAN: A total of 17,160 cigarette butts were collected through waste auditing during the World Clean Up Day 2024 programme at Saujana Beach, Port Dickson last Saturday.

SWM Environment Sdn Bhd corporate general manager Mohd Norlisam Mohd Nordin said the programme also identified other waste materials, including 7,392 pieces of plastic and polystyrene, as well as 1,094 plastic bags.

Some 200 volunteers, comprising students, non-governmental organisations and private companies, participated in the initiative.

He said the waste audit was conducted to gather essential information about the types of waste generated by visitors, particularly tiny pieces that pose severe threats to marine ecosystems.

"These tiny items, although they may seem insignificant, can cause irreparable damage to marine life,” he said in a statement on Monday (Sept 23).

Last year’s audit recorded 10,651 cigarette butts, along with 636 food utensils (plastic spoons and forks) and 592 plastic bags.

Additionally, Mohd Norlisam said that 203 plastic bottle caps and 178 plastic drink containers were collected during the cleanup activity, which are the most hazardous types of waste for marine life.

He stressed that these materials take hundreds of years to decompose and are often ingested by marine animals, leading to significant harm to the ecosystem. - Bernama