It is provided a process for recycling cigarette butts and the like to enable reuse of a butt (1), comprising a filter (1 a) adapted to partly retain the harmful substances produced by said cigarette, residual tobacco (1c) and an envelope (1 b) adapted to partly surround said filter (1 a) and consisting in: a step (10) of removing at least said residual tobacco (1 c) from the butt (1) and a step (30) of washing the butt (1), at least partly removing the harmful substances from the butt (1) deprived of the residual tobacco (1 c)