A Reddit user called attention to just how much cigarette litter accumulates in a single public spot, and the photos are staggering.

The post, shared with the r/DeTrashed community, documented a cleanup outside a public library. Two images revealed plastic bags filled with hundreds of discarded butts, dirt, foil wrappers, and other debris. The third photo showed a nearby storm drain, putting the poster's concern into sharp focus.

"I see what people mean when they say it can get into our waterways, because I always see them near storm drains," the user wrote.

Cigarette butts are the most littered thing on Earth. Their filters are made from cellulose acetate, a kind of plastic that can take over a decade to break down.

When butts sit on the ground, rainwater carries them from sidewalks and streets toward storm drains, which often empty straight into rivers, lakes, and oceans with no filtration in between. Once in the water, those filters release chemicals such as nicotine, arsenic, and lead.

That reality is exactly why hands-on cleanups such as this one matter. Each butt pulled off the ground is one fewer pollutant headed for local waterways and one fewer piece of plastic sitting in the environment for years.

The community didn't hold back its gratitude.

"That's heroic work right there!" one commenter wrote.

"So gross to see so many yet such good work picking them up! Thank you," another said.

A third person shared their own experience with the problem, writing: "So gross imagining all these and more in our waterways. Thank you for picking them up! The other day I came across a spot where someone had apparently dumped their car ashtray. Very tedious picking them up one by one with a grabber."

If you've ever thought about grabbing a bag and cleaning up your own block or local park, this post is a good reminder that it doesn't take much to make a noticeable difference right where you live.

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