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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National
Isabelle Martinetti

FOUND: Volunteers step up to help paris stamp out its cigarette butt problem - What They Never Told You

Volunteers picking up litter, including many cigarette butts, near Notre-Dame in Paris, during World Cleanup Day on 20 September 2026.
Cover image: Volunteers picking up litter, including many cigarette butts, near Notre-Dame in Paris, during World Cleanup Day on 20 September 2026. © RFI

Millions of cigarette butts are discarded on the streets of Paris every day, creating a stubborn litter problem that costs the city millions of euros a year to clean up. As authorities threaten irresponsible smokers with fines, volunteers are taking to the streets to tackle their waste.

Paris City Hall estimates that between 1.5 and 2 billion cigarette butts are discarded on the capital's streets each year, costing around €10 million annually to clean up.

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