# People Who Empty Their Ashtrays In The Garbage **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 11, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726 "2004-03-11T16:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CheekyMonkey613](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/1 "2004-03-11T16:59:43Z")
WTF is WRONG with you people? When I put out my trash, I see so many garbage bags with the contents of an ashtray. Are you out of your minds??? Do you know how long the cigarettes can sit in a garbage bag before they catch? And once it catches, do you know how FAST the whole building can go up in smoke? If you want to burn your own place down, not my problem. I feel sorry for your children and your pets, but not my problem. What IS my problem? I’ll tell you what it is. It’s when I live in the same building as you and my place will go up in smoke only minutes after yours does. Have the decency to flush them down the toilet, rather than create a fire hazzard for your neighbours. I realize this means you’ll have to swish the bowl extra often with that handy brush you have next to the toilet. Much less work than me losing everything I have. TYVM. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/2 "2004-03-11T17:05:12Z")
WTF? You do realize that a ciggarette smushed out in an ashtray and then emptied hours or even days later poses almost zero risk of spontaneously combusting, right? I’d imagine the plumbing problems caused by thousands of ciggy filters clogging up the pipes would be much much more of an inconvienence than your imaginary fire. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/3 "2004-03-11T17:07:36Z")
OK, not a smoker here -but if the ashtray hasn’t been used in a long time (hours or since yesterday) would it be save to assume that you can throw out the ashes and the butts? Or are you stating that the butts will somehow spontaneosly combust? And since its the pit - Jeez Cheeky, you get bugged real easy…and a lot. Maybe you should try some of that hippie stuff where you meditate and find your “happy place” or something. 😃 Bubba ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/4 "2004-03-11T17:10:29Z")
So the rash of non-fires in your building is due to people putting non-burning cigarettes in their trash, eh? Geez, relax. Want something different to worry about? Worry about people not putting candles out when they go to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/5 "2004-03-11T17:11:28Z")
> [@CheekyMonkey613](#): > > [FONT=Century Gothic]WTF is WRONG with you people? > > When I put out my trash, I see so many garbage bags with the contents of an ashtray. Are you out of your minds??? Yeah! Why aren’t these people emptying ashtrays out their car window like normal smokers? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/6 "2004-03-11T17:14:36Z")
When I smoked, I did this too. Never once started a fire. I’d wager far more fires are started by smokers falling asleep while holding a lit cigarette. Yet you’re not pitting _those_ people. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/7 "2004-03-11T17:14:51Z")
Yes, of course it makes sense for me to dump my ashtrays in the toilet so they can clog it up and I can pay the plumber to fix the damn thing just becuase you don’t like it that I empty my ashtray into the garbage. Toilets are not garbage cans. Garbage cans are for garbage, and that’s what dead cigarettes are. Any smoker should know enough not to dump “live” butts into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![freetobeme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@freetobeme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freetobeme)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/8 "2004-03-11T17:15:04Z")
Wow What a really good thread. But seriously. Back when I was allowed to smoke indoors, if I ever wasn’t sure about whether or not an ashtray might still be ‘hot’, I would dump the contents into a napkin or paper towel and douse it under the faucet before throwing it away. Perhaps this is the suggestion that you could make to your smoking neighbors. Politely, of course. You might also consider moving to a less shared residence. Half a house, say. Preferrably a brick house. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/9 "2004-03-11T17:20:29Z")
> [@](#): > > [from here ({shrug} it was at the top of the Google hit list)](http://www.vob.belcarra.bc.ca/vob-septic-tank-care.htm) > > \*\*REMINDERS FOR THE CARE & MAINTENANCE > OF A SEPTIC TANK SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM > > DON’T – Flush foreign objects (these can plug septic systems). Foreign objects include: cigarette butts, filters, sanitary napkins, facial tissues, hair, paper towels, coffee grounds, tea leaves, fats and grease.\*\* Maybe **CheekyMonkey613** has a RotoRooter franchise? I always thought that everybody was supposed to drive to some convenient shopping mall parking lot to empty their ashtrays. Isn’t that a rule or something? ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/10 "2004-03-11T17:22:35Z")
You’ve obviously also never tried flushing a butt end down the toilet too. they float, and don’t go down. Dead cigarettes do not burn again by themselves. What a fucking stupid pitting. If they were dumping them on the floor in the corridor, far enough, but the tab ends are in the garbage. Fucks sake. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/11 "2004-03-11T17:25:13Z")
The amount of water used to flush all those cigarettes makes me want to cry. Sure, some people would flush them all at once, but you just know tons more would flush ‘em one at a time. Much better to douse them with a bit of water before trashing them, kinda like good ol’ Smokey the Bear taught us to put out campfires. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/12 "2004-03-11T17:33:04Z")
I have never heard of people dumping butts in the toilet. You should pit the assholes that dump their ashtrays from the car in the parking lot. That makes me very aggitated. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/13 "2004-03-11T17:35:27Z")
Yeah, I was kinda wondering if none of these people had ever heard of dumping a little water in the ashtray before you pitch it into the garbage bag, m’self. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/14 "2004-03-11T17:37:09Z")
I smoke in my basement. I dump the ashtray contents in a metal garbage can every day, before I begin to use it. Not after I just butt one. Ain’t started a fire yet. I will continue to dump my full ashtray in the garbage for as long as my smelly, nicotine stained fingers can reach it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/15 "2004-03-11T17:44:44Z")
> [@CheekyMonkey613](#): > > Blah, blah blah… And please stop using that annoying font! My eyes bleed every time I see it. ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/16 "2004-03-11T18:01:23Z")
> [@CheekyMonkey613](#): > > :mad: :mad: :mad: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/17 "2004-03-11T18:09:43Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > And please stop using that annoying font! My eyes bleed every time I see it. For the love of God, _please_. Ordinarily it seems like too petty a complaint to drag into a thread, but whenever you post like that, I have to switch over to a user-defined style-sheet (with a nice, legible font like, say, Trebuchet,) in order to read it, and since your OP has failed to catch, (so to speak) I don’t mind saying so here. If you set up your browser to render in anything besides “LARGE PRINT EDITION,” Century Gothic resolves to something a lot like this: > [@](#): > > oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolooolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo Argh! ---
**Author:** ![CheekyMonkey613](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/18 "2004-03-11T18:29:24Z")
[Cigarette caused mobile-home fire](http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/February/05/local/stories/08local.htm) > [@](#): > > Fire officials said Wednesday that a cigarette discarded in a trash can started the fire Tuesday at a mobile home on Felt Street. An elderly couple, Bob and Pam Alfonso, were rescued from the home. He was treated and released; his wife is in serious condition in a San Jose hospital Wednesday, said Chief Bruce Clark of Central Fire. The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. [Smoking is the top cause of fires in Austin](http://news8austin.com/content/news_8_explores/fire_prevention/?ArID=72329&SecID=227) > [@](#): > > Of all the fires in Austin this year, smoking-related fires top of the list. Five people died in fires started by smoking materials this year alone. > Firefighters say carelessness is almost always to blame for these fires. There’s a right and a wrong way to put out cigarettes. Unfortunately, too many people choose the wrong way. Tossing lit cigarette butts into trash cans is the wrong way.Austin fire investigators say you can still see cigarette butts melted into the bottom a trash can that was taken from an actual fire scene. [Cigarette gets blame for Safety Harbor fire](http://www.sptimes.com/News/102400/NorthPinellas/Cigarette_gets_blame_.shtml) > [@](#): > > SAFETY HARBOR – A discarded cigarette caused a fire that gutted an assisted living facility Sunday evening and sent five elderly people to other area centers, Richard Brock, Safety Harbor’s fire marshal, said Monday. “It was an accidental fire caused by careless smoking,” Brock said. “I found cigarette butts in what was left of a trash can at the scene of the fire.” [Your Safety: Smokers](http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/FIRE/smokers.html) > [@](#): > > Careless disposal of smoking materials and cigarettes is the leading cause of fatal residential fires in the United States. According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately 250,000 house fires per year are caused by careless disposal of cigarettes or other smoking materials. Nearly 2,000 people tragically and needlessly lose their lives in these fires. When cleaning ashtrays, fill them with water - then empty them in the trash can. Even when a cigarette appears to be extinguished, there is still a chance that it may be smoldering. If you empty an ashtray in a wastebasket containing paper or other combustibles without first wetting it down, the result could be a fire. Shall I continue? Ok one more … [Fire Prevention & Investigation Division](http://www.denvergov.org/Fire_Prevention/template113550.asp) > [@](#): > > If you allow cigarette smoking in your home, provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding. That takes care of the first few hits on Google. I could do this all day. Also, I could tell you about my neighbours’ farmhouse that burnt down to the ground when I was 5. I stayed up all night and watched the fire, scared to sleep. Hemmingford Fire Department concluded that it was caused by an ashtray full of cigarettes that was disposed of in a trash can. > [@belladonna](#): > > You do realize that a ciggarette smushed out in an ashtray and then emptied hours or even days later poses almost zero risk of spontaneously combusting, right? I’d imagine the plumbing problems caused by thousands of ciggy filters clogging up the pipes would be much much more of an inconvienence than your imaginary fire. You’re assuming the cigarette was smushed out properly and that it was emptied hours and days after it was smoked. Yes, I realize that in that case, there’s a very low risk of a fire. If you think cigarette butts cause a problem down the drains, then I guess you’re plutzing about people who use clumping kitty litter and flush that too. I’d imagine that a big piece of shit causes more plumbing problems than a cigarette filter. As far as “imaginary fires” go, see above. I saw a family devasted by a fire ignited by this very thing. > [@BubbaDog](#): > > And since its the pit - Jeez Cheeky, you get bugged real easy…and a lot. Maybe you should try some of that hippie stuff where you meditate and find your “happy place” or something I don’t get bugged easy, but I do get bugged deeply. I’m glad I’ve found the board. I hardly talk to myself anymore. People have seen a lot of progress. As far as the “hippy place” goes, I’m scared I’d throw my “tools” in the garbage instead of flushing them, so it’s best like this. 😉 > [@Jackmannii](#): > > Yeah! Why aren’t these people emptying ashtrays out their car window like normal smokers? You know … I’ve noticed a lot less of this lately. Especially compared to when I was a kid. But yeah, that sucks too. > [@QED](#): > > I’d wager far more fires are started by smokers falling asleep while holding a lit cigarette. Yet you’re not pitting those people. Yeah, I’d bet you’re right about more fires started like that. The difference is, when that happens, people don’t purposely do it. It’s an accident (albeit a preventable one). People who dump their ashtrays in their trash are just ignorant. > [@yellowval](#): > > Yes, of course it makes sense for me to dump my ashtrays in the toilet so they can clog it up and I can pay the plumber to fix the damn thing just becuase you don’t like it that I empty my ashtray into the garbage. Toilets are not garbage cans. Garbage cans are for garbage, and that’s what dead cigarettes are. Any smoker should know enough not to dump “live” butts into the trash. Sucks to be you. I guess you shit in a napkin and put it in the trash too? > [@freetobeme](#): > > …if I ever wasn’t sure about whether or not an ashtray might still be ‘hot’, I would dump the contents into a napkin or paper towel and douse it under the faucet before throwing it away. Perhaps this is the suggestion that you could make to your smoking neighbors… You might also consider moving to a less shared residence. Half a house, say. Preferrably a brick house. That’s actually quite responsible and brilliant of you. I think that would be the best solution. However, though I’m the “crazy lady” on the boards, I’ll take my chances with my neighbours and will be moving this summer into a self-contained brick home, as you have suggested. \*\*Gluteus Maximus \*\* : Your link was pertinant to septic tanks. Most people do not use this system for sewage. My aunt does; she lives in a country house on a farm. She doesn’t even flush toilet paper. So apples and oranges, my friend. > [@paulberserker](#): > > You’ve obviously also never tried flushing a butt end down the toilet too. they float, and don’t go down. Dead cigarettes do not burn again by themselves. What a fucking stupid pitting. Ah, but I _have_ tried the flush method, my friend. I used to smoke in the bathroom with my friends. Those things would do it ON PURPOSE to stay afloat. You’re right, some of those butts are nasty sons of bitches. But a second flush does it. And if you dont want to waste the water, scoop the stubborn ones out and throw them out wrapped in toilet paper in the bathroom trash. Though you’re right that dead cigarettes don’t burn again, you’d be surprised how many cigarettes are put into trashcans that aren’t dead. THAT is the problem. It would be a stupid pitting if it didn’t kill people, but it does. > [@Q.E.D.](#): > > And please stop using that annoying font! My eyes bleed every time I see it. I apologize profusely. Is this better? > [@KarmaComa](#): > > > [@CheekyMonkey613](#): > > > > :mad: :mad: :mad: > > :rolleyes: cite? > [@LarryMudd](#): > > If you set up your browser to render in anything besides “LARGE PRINT EDITION,” Century Gothic resolves to something a lot like this: “oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolooolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo oolo olololo olool looolo lolo lloolol olollolo” Argh! I’m sorry Larry. I didn’t realize that. It’s actually easier for me to read that font. I won’t do it again. I’m glad you realized I wasn’t laughing out loud like a crazy woman. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/19 "2004-03-11T18:41:43Z")
> [@CheekyMonkey613](#): > > \*\*Gluteus Maximus \*\* : Your link was pertinant to septic tanks. Most people do not use this system for sewage. Irrelevant. Anything non-soluble has to be filtered out at the sewage works, which makes the treatment process more difficult, causes equipment failures, etc. I’ve seen firsthand the collection of condoms, sanitary towels, cotton buds and worse that’s collected each day. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726/20 "2004-03-11T18:44:50Z")
Your toilet is not a trash can. It should not be used to dispose of rubbish. Cigarettes ends are not bio-degradable and have to be filtered out of the sewage system along with the other trash. Besides that, it’s a gross waste of water. Careless disposal of cigarettes and ash are whole other issue. Flushing is not a solution. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-empty-their-ashtrays-in-the-garbage/233726.md?page=2)