One Of The Most Littered Items In New Jersey

It doesn't take very long to find a cigarette butt on the ground.

Just ask Jim Alturo from Cinnaminson, New Jersey.

He's collected nearly 24,000 cigarette butts in South Jersey.

That's a lot of trash littering the ground.

He even donated a penny for every one he picked up.

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He was recently interviewed on CBS News Philadelphia.

15,000 was his original goal, but he kept finding more and more.

Check out "Jim's Cigarette Butt Challenge" where he's hoping to raise $35,000, partnering with the American Lung Association.

He says, "I was shocked at the number of cigarettes being smoked and trash accumulating on the side of the road."

He went on to say, "The outpouring of love I have received from my community in and around Cinnaminson, NJ is overwhelming. Not only the encouragement but their eagerness to donate and support my efforts."

Here are some interesting facts, according to New Jersey Clean Communities.

Cigarette Butt Facts:

• Cigarettes are littered on average 142 times per second.
• The cigarettes littered in one year alone worldwide can go from the moon to the earth almost 300 times.
• It can take up to 25 years for one cigarette to biodegrade.

Cigarette butts are still found on New Jersey beaches even though smoking is banned.

Alturo will continue to pick up cigarette butts and is hoping others will do the same.

He would love for you to start your very own challenge.