When you think recycling, newspapers, plastic bottles and aluminum cans probably come to mind. But one researcher wants to add cigarette butts to the list. Jun Zhao, a Ph.D. student in the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, found that extracts of cigarette butts that have been submerged in water can help prevent steel from rusting. The study claims that application of the cigarette material to a certain type of steel could save millions of dollars a year that oil industries spend on steel repair. Zhao explains that application of cigarette butts as a corrosion inhibitor could reduce the use of chemical materials applied to steel today and cut down on cigarette pollution. According to the study, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute the environment every year – yuck!!!  Cigarette butts are a major contributor to marine debris, and they’re generally considered the most commonly found piece of litter in beach cleanups. They pose a hazard for species that choke on butts or are killed by the toxins.  Zhao acknowledges that cigarette litter is widespread and that it would be difficult for individuals or groups to organize litter collection, but he is hopeful that garbage collection agencies may one day lead an initiative focused on cigarette butt recycling.