BIG BUTT CHALLENGE

BIG BUTT CHALLENGE SEPTEMBER 2026

Calling ALL CLUBS… we, the District 5020 Environment Committee, hereby CHALLENGE you to a BUTT-PICKING contest this September!!!

WIN $500 to use towards an ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY project of your choosing!

Earn BRAGGING RIGHTS and RESPECT!

Become an ECO-HERO!

DID YOU KNOW?

Every year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded into the environment. They're not just eyesores, they're toxic waste, packed with plastic fibers and harmful chemicals that pollute our cities, poison our waterways, and threaten wildlife around the globe. A single butt can contaminate up to 1,000 litres of water!*

Together, we can change that… PARTICIPATE in this FUN district-wide challenge to help CLEAN UP your community and CARE for our shared environment!

WHAT TO DO

REGISTER

  • Choose a “Big Butt Boss” to be your leader and Club contact for the challenge
  • Register your Club HERE

PREPARE

  • Gloves, litter pickers, or tongs
  • Reusable containers or collection bags

COLLECT

  • Choose one day or every day throughout September to collect your cigarette butts
  • All butts count, be they littered or donated by smokers you know
  • Hot spots include, but are not limited to, vicinities around city benches, near building entrances and exits, in alleyways, around parking lots, along sidewalk curbs and in gutters, at bus stops, in plant beds, near bike racks, on beaches, along beach-adjacent walkways, around picnic areas, and even near cigarette butt disposal cannisters

COUNT

  • You can count each butt individually, while collecting (must have a good memory), or after
  • You can count how many butts fit in your container and multiply by the number of times the container is filled (e.g., 200 butts X 3 fills = 600 butts)
  • You can weigh your butts (average weight of one cigarette butt = 0.2 grams) and tally approximate number (1kg = 5000 cigarette butts, and 1lb = 2667 cigarette butts)
  • Submit your counted butts to the “Big Butt Boss” or individual assigned to shipping

SHIP

  • Neatly package all butts collected into a box for FREE shipping to TerraCycle
  • Create an account with TerraCycle and download your shipping label

Clubs in Canada: UNSMOKE Cigarette Free Recycling Program | TerraCycle

Clubs in United States: Cigarette Waste Free Recycling Program · TerraCycle

  1. Confirm you are of legal age or older
  2. Enroll (join) in the Program (this will involve creating an account)
  3. When filling in the details choose “Community Organization” under Organization Type and enter your Club name under Organization Name
  4. Once enrolled you can “Get Shipping Label” which will be sent to you by email
  • Print the label and adhere it to your package of butts
  • Take your prepared package to the nearest UPS location and SHIP for FREE to TerraCycle where they will be processed along with other plastics and recycled into useable products

REPORT Report your Club's total butt count HERE by the end of September

CELEBRATE The Club with the most butts collected and successfully shipped to TerraCycle will be declared the winner of the 2026 BIG BUTT CHALLENGE

Every participant in this challenge is a WINNER and an ECO-HERO!

More than a competition, this FUN contest is about taking action to help protect our natural spaces, raise awareness and clean up our communities, and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the environment and humanity.

THANK YOU!!!

MORE ABOUT BUTTS

Butts by Jim Force, Rotarian and “Butt Picker”

TerraCycle video: How Cigarette Butts are Recycled at TerraCycle

National Geographic video: Turning Cigarette Butts into Park Benches

National Geographic article and video: Cigarette butts are toxic plastic pollution. Should they be banned?

CBC news video: Think Before you Flick Campaign

Global Society World News video: Cigarette Butts: The Hidden Threat to our Environment

YouTube Interview: How Rotary Clubs Can Protect the Environment One Cigarette Butt at a Time

* The science behind why one cigarette butt has the potential to pollute up to 1,000 litres of water:

    Ocean Impact

    Cigarette butts are the #1 marine litter item, more common than plastic straws or bags. They seep arsenic, lead, and nicotine into the water, poisoning fish, birds, and even coral reefs. Just one butt can pollute up to 1,000 litres of water.*

    Wildlife Harm

    Small animals, birds, and marine life mistake cigarette butts for food, which can lead to ingestion, poisoning, and even death. The plastic fibres in filters don’t break down, making them a persistent threat to wildlife.

    Urban Pollution

    Dropped on sidewalks or tossed from car windows, cigarette butts contribute to urban blight and cost cities millions in cleanup every year. Butts clog drains, cause flooding, and release toxins into the soil.

    Fire Hazard

    Improperly discarded cigarette butts can cause wildfires and urban fires, especially in dry conditions. Countless fires worldwide have been started by smoldering cigarette butts tossed onto dry grass, leaves, or garbage.

    CONTACT

    Sonnet Force
    STP ComplianceEHS, Editor
    Rotary Club of Sidney by the Sea, Environment Committee Member
    Rotary District 5020, Environment Committee Member

    Mobile: 250-241-5974

    Email: lyreforce@gmail.com