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Hold On to Your Butt

The plastic problem that’s not talked about enough - cigarette butts. The Hold On to Your Butt (HOTYB) program aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of cigarette butt litter on our oceans, waves and beaches. Our goal is to eliminate cigarette butt litter in Charleston and beyond!

 

Hold On to Your Butt

Charleston's HOTYB program is heavily focused on the installation of ash cans, recycling of cigarette butts, and collection of cigarette waste at all beach cleanups. Cigarette butts are the most prevalent litter picked up during our beach sweeps. Often littered on our sidewalks and streets, they end up in our storm drains and ultimately the ocean. We began installing ashcans with the help of partners and sponsors in 2020. In conjunction with the HOTYB program, the Charleston Chapter campaigned to pass a smoking ban that applies to the beach and beach-access points of Folly Beach. As of May 2025, there are ashcans located in Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms. 

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Environmental Impacts

  • An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are disposed of in our lakes, oceans, and soil every year worldwide.
  • Cigarette butts leach toxins when wet, posing a threat to marine and wildlife.
    Litter cleanup costs the U.S. over $11 billion annually, cigarette butts represent an estimated 32% of that litter.
  • Cigarette butts are composed of cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable plastic, which can take up to 25 years to decompose.
  • Littered cigarette butts pose a significant fire threat. 

Hold On to Your Butt ashcans reduce cigarette butt litter and improve the quality of the community for residents and visitors. Additionally, all cigarette butts collected in the ashcans are recycled - reducing waste sent to the landfill. 

Our Cans

The ashcans are affixed off the ground, either with our HOTYB signs or on light poles. Please email HOTYB@charleston.surfrider.org for any issues related to our ash cans (including overflowing waste, vandalism, or missing parts).

HOTYB Sign (1)
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Recycling

All cigarette butts collected in our ashcans and at our beach cleanups are recycled through TerraCycle. We ship our cigarette waste to the recycler where the butts are melted into hard plastic that can be molded to make new recycled industrial products. Our goal is to recycle thousands of cigarette butts in each community to transform into benches that will be placed on Charleston’s local beaches! It’s a friendly competition for eliminating cigarette butt litter on Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, and Folly Beach. Contact our HOTYB Coordinator for updates on our recycling program.

HOTYB Community Ash Can (Lost Dog)

How Can You Help?

Sponsor an Ashcan

Your business, organization or family can become a “local partner” by sponsoring a Community Ash Can and immediately improve our community. Your sponsorship will help reduce the impact of cigarette butt litter on our oceans, waves, and beaches. 

Responsibilities include emptying ashcan regularly, printing labels, properly shipping cigarette waste, and submitting mini reports.

All sponsors are recognized on Surfrider Foundation’s website and through other media outlets for their contribution to our community.

Become a Sponsor

 

Become a HOTYB Volunteer

Join our HOTYB community cleanups on Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, and Folly Beach or do solo work through one of our many roles on the HOTYB Team!

Community cleanups take place every month and tackle litter in high foot-traffic locations. Other roles include maintenance, sponsor manager, recycle manager, and communications.

Additionally, you can become a Surfrider HOTYB Representative at any community cleanup by separating and collecting cigarette waste to be recycled! For more information on roles, please contact our program coordinator.

All Volunteer Opportunities

Thank You for Holding Those Butts!

HUGE thank you to the following businesses & organizations for sponsoring community ash cans to actively help keep toxic cigarette litter off our streets, out of our storm drains, and ultimately out of our ocean!
Lost Dog Cafe
The Washout
Crab Shack
Center St. Coffee
Bert’s Market
Chico Feo
Circle K