A pocket ashtray: on the go
A pocket ashtray is a small box, usually metal, with a lid that closes well. You put your butt in and close the lid. That way you carry it until you find a bin.
- Let your cigarette go out completely before you close the lid.
- Only empty the pocket ashtray once the contents have cooled.
- Rinse it now and then to keep it clean.
A pocket ashtray fits in a coat pocket or handbag and comes in handy on a walk, at a festival or at the bus stop.
A push-button ashtray: at home and outdoors
With a push-button ashtray you put the butt on the lid and press the button. The lid turns and the butt drops into the bowl below. The ash stays inside, even when it is windy, and the lid limits the smell. To empty it, you take the lid off.
That makes it handy in the garden, on the balcony or on your terrace at home.
A classic ashtray: indoors
An open ashtray in glass or ceramic stands firmly and is easy to clean. It suits indoor use best, where there is no wind. Choose a model wide enough so no ash falls beside it.
Why a cigarette butt does not belong on the street
According to Mooimakers, the Flemish campaign against litter, a filter is mostly made of cellulose acetate, a kind of plastic. After 10 to 15 years a butt seems to have gone, but it has broken down into microplastics.
Butts are also the most common litter: according to OVAM, in 2022 41% of the litter collected in Flanders was cigarette butts.
What does a butt on the street cost?
Throwing a butt on the ground can get you a fine. The amount depends on where you are:
- Wallonia: 200 euros paid on the spot, since 1 January 2021.
- Flanders: each municipality sets its own administrative fine, up to 500 euros for an adult.
- Brussels: 200 euros in the City of Brussels.
- France: 135 euros.
- The Netherlands: 170 euros (2025 rate).
Emptying an ashtray safely
A cigarette butt can smoulder for hours. So only empty an ashtray when everything has cooled and gone out, and never tip the contents straight into a paper or plastic bin bag.
Frequently asked questions
How does a pocket ashtray work?
It is a small box with a lid that closes well. Let your cigarette go out completely, put the butt in and close the lid. You carry it until you find a bin.
How does a push-button ashtray work?
You put the butt on the lid and press the button. The lid turns and the butt drops into the bowl below, so the ash stays inside, even in the wind.
Which ashtray is best for outdoors?
One with a lid, such as a push-button ashtray: the ash stays inside when it is windy and the lid limits the smell.
What is the fine for a cigarette butt in Wallonia?
200 euros paid on the spot, since 1 January 2021. In Flanders each municipality sets the amount, up to 500 euros.
Why is a cigarette butt bad for the environment?
A filter is mostly made of cellulose acetate, a kind of plastic. According to Mooimakers a butt breaks down into microplastics after 10 to 15 years.
