The perseverance of cigarette butts in the environment (usually the result of improper disposal) is a concern that ranges from simple irritation to potential regulation. Like all litter issues, improper disposal of cigarette butts is really a social problem; nevertheless, in many locales it will undoubtedly require a technical solution.Suppliers to the tobacco industry are aware of the concerns regarding the degradability of cigarette butts and have been active in seeking ways to hasten their disintegration. Numerous patents concerning novel filter construction materials and/or filter designs that could speed disintegration have been filed, and a number of papers that address the issue of cigarette butt degradability have been presented at this and other conferences. However, commercialization of most of these approaches would require significant modifications to existing processes and equipment. In an effort to determine a benchmark for the most rapidly disintegrating cigarette butt that could be made using currently available technology, a series of filter rods and cigarettes were designed and manufactured. The experimental design incorporated special adhesives, plugwraps, tipping papers, and cellulose acetate tows that were expected to hasten the disintegration of the cigarette butts upon exposure to the elements. Plasticizer concentration was also considered. Samples of the resulting cigarette butts were then exposed to the elements in Arizona and southern Florida, and the resulting weathering was monitored. This paper will discuss the data obtained from these weathering trials.