Niagara Falls, N.Y. – Litter is an eyesore under any circumstances, but when it’s scattered along the landscape of a beautiful global treasure like Niagara Falls, it’s particularly troublesome. That’s why Reality Check youth from Fillmore High School chose Niagara Falls State Park for its Seen Enough Tobacco Day Clean Up project on Monday, October 12.

Youth safely cleaned up litter around the park by separating regular trash from tobacco waste. They put items like paper, plastic bottles and food wrappers in one bag and dedicated a specific container exclusively for cigars, cigarette butts and vape waste.

“Niagara Falls is a global national treasure, yet its beauty is frequently disrupted by the most common form of litter on Earth,” says Jonathan Chaffee, Youth Outreach Coordinator at Tobacco-Free Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany (TF-CCA). “Through this cleanup and ongoing public education, we are reminding visitors that cigarette butt filters are toxic trash. They belong in a waste bin, not on our pristine trails.”

The issue is especially troubling because litter in this specific area doesn’t just ruin the view – it immediately enters a highly dynamic aquatic ecosystem, threatening local wildlife and flowing directly into Lake Ontario. Because cigarette filters contain non-biodegradable cellulose acetate plastic and toxic residue (nicotine and heavy metals), the Reality Check youth kept them separate so they did not contaminate recyclable regular trash or leach chemicals into waterways. Displaying the collected tobacco waste separately also allowed the youth to bring attention to the issue and educate the community on tobacco in the environment.

Eliminating cigarette butts for good also means helping smokers quit.

Anyone who lives in New York State may contact the NYS Quitline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). They can also visit nysmokefree.com to reach a specialist through an online chat, request a call-back or order free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications. The NYS Quitline additionally offers a variety of free texting programs for those seeking help at their fingertips. Learn2QuitNY and Vivir Sin Tobaco Es Vida (culturally tailored for Spanish-speaking communities) provide daily texts and weekly goals; text QUITNOW or DÉJELO YA NY to 333888 to register. The NYS Quitline’s latest texting service, ‘Drop The Vape., supports young people and young adults in their efforts to overcome nicotine addiction. Registration and more information are available at DropTheVape.org.                

Reality Check New York empowers youth to become leaders in their community in exposing what they see as the manipulative and deceptive marketing tactics of the tobacco industry. The organization’s members produce change in their communities through grassroots mobilization and education. Reality Check in this area is affiliated with Tobacco-Free Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany (CCA), a program managed by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds TF-CCA to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.