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Smoke-Free Beaches

Making Our Spaces Smokefree

Cigarette butts are the number one most littered item in the world, posing a serious threat to our marine environment and wildlife. Across Wales, we are working to protect our stunning coastline by encouraging smoke-free beaches where families, wildlife, and communities can thrive without the dangers of cigarette litter and second-hand smoke.

Why Is This A Welsh Issue?

In 2021, data from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) revealed that Welsh beaches had the highest cigarette litter levels in Great Britain over double that of England. With our breathtaking coastline, including the most Blue Flag beaches in the UK, it’s vital we protect our natural spaces.

Report From Marine Conservation Society

The Marine Conservation Society’s latest beach clean report shows that smoking litter is turning up on more than half of UK beaches. From cigarette butts to vapes, this rubbish isn’t just unpleasant it’s dangerous for our wildlife and spoils the beautiful spaces we all love.

By going smoke-free, we can protect our seas, our animals and each other. Together, we can keep our beaches safe, clean and welcoming for everyone now and for future generations.

Download The Report

Why It Matters?

Environmental Protection

Annually, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute global landscapes, taking up to 12 years to degrade. By banning smoking on beaches, we can significantly reduce this litter, preserving Wales’ pristine coastlines and marine ecosystems.

Wildlife Conservation:

Cigarette butts leach toxic chemicals that harm marine and coastal wildlife, leading to poisoning and death. Smoke-free beaches will help protect our diverse marine species and maintain biodiversity.

Health

Smoking in public spaces not only normalizes the habit but poses health risks through second-hand smoke. Our 2023 YouGov survey shows that 59% of Welsh adults support banning smoking on beaches, reflecting strong public backing for healthier, smoke-free environments.

Public Support for Smokefree Beaches

Public opinion across Wales shows strong support for smoke-free spaces. In our 2023 YouGov survey, 59% of Welsh adults supported a smoking ban on beaches. Local surveys, such as one in Anglesey, showed even stronger support, with 87% in favour of smoke-free beaches.

Since launching the smoke-free Beaches campaign, several beaches across Wales have introduced voluntary smoking bans. With the support of the Welsh Government, we’re continuing to work with local authorities to expand smoke-free zones across our coastline.

In March 2024, Benllech and Trearddur Bay became the first smoke-free beaches in North Wales.  Port Eynon joined the campaign in 2022 with a celebratory beach clean involving local children, who helped create a giant ‘smoke-free’ sign out of driftwood and pebbles. The event highlighted the dangers of cigarette waste on marine life and the importance of protecting our coastline.

FREE School Resource

Ready to train the next generation of eco-sleuths? Our free Pollution Detectives pack is bursting with games, team challenges and clue-hunting fun to help young people uncover the hidden impact of cigarette butts and vapes on the environment. Perfect for KS2 classrooms, after-school clubs and youth groups this lively, hands-on session gets everyone thinking, moving and protecting wildlife like true detectives.

Download This Resource

How You Can Help?

Organise a Beach Clean-Up:

Host or join a local litter pick event to help reduce cigarette waste on your local beach.

Run A Workshop

Download our FREE school resources to teach young people about protecting their environment from litter.

Raise Awareness

Speak to your local council or beach authority about launching a voluntary smokefree policy.

Get Involved

For support, or further information, please get in touch with our team at communications@ashwales.org.uk or call 029 2049 0621.

Let’s work together to create smoke-free beaches and protect children, families, and communities from the harms of smoking.

Download Our FREE Resources

We’ve developed a range of free resources to help schools, councils, and communities implement smoke-free school gates.

  • Download Our Toolkit
  • Download Social Media Posts

Support Our Work

Support our campaigns to protect the environment from smoking-related harm and to provide education in schools and communities.

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