Over 10,000 cigarette butts dropped on lakefront beach in 30 days

Environmentalist Liz Smith has posted a shocking image on social media showing over 10,000 cigarette butts picked up from Queenstown's lakefront beach in just 30 days.

She is meeting with the Queenstown Lakes District Council on Tuesday this week in an attempt to persuade the council to make the beach smoke-free.

The Lake Wakatipu beach in central Queenstown. A tourist hot spot.

Over 3000 people have supported Liz's post on the Queenstown Trading Facebook page, in support of the smoking ban.

Liz Smith notes in her post that the butts can take 10 years to decompose.

Main image: Liz Smith with the 10,527 cigarette butts picked up from Queenstown's lakeside beach. Facebook.