“Our Beaches are not Ashtrays” is the message of a public awareness drive targeting Cape Town beachgoers over the busy festive season.

The campaign is an initiative of tobacco company Philip Morris SA, and is supported by the City of Cape Town and the Clean C NGO, which runs regular beach-clean-ups along the coastline on the first Saturday of every month.

Cigarette butt litter is a major problem on beaches and a source of ocean pollution. Some smokers discard cigarette butts in the sand. This litter is often carried into the ocean with the tide, where it can be mistaken for food by birds and marine animals, with dire consequences.

“With this initiative, we’re calling on adult smokers to become aware of the environmental impact and change their behaviour. We’re going a step further to provide beach ashtrays to make it easier to dispose of cigarette butts responsibly. Have some fun in the sun this festive season, but remember that our beaches are not ashtrays,” says Marcelo Nico, Managing Director of PMSA.