‘Smoking related litter’ (cigarette ends, packets and cellophane, matches and cigarette lighters) is the most commonly found items of litter, accounting for over 40% of street litter in the UK.
122 tonnes of cigarette ends are dropped everyday across the UK (that’s about 200 million of them), with an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts dropped worldwide every year.
At a local level, 85% of sites surveyed across the Falkirk Council area in the period 2004-5 contained smoking related litter. With the advent of the smoking ban on 26th March of this year, we have seen a marked increase in the number of cigarette ends discarded on our pavements and streets.
Why do they cause such a problem?
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Cigarette ends can take 5 to 12 years to fully biodegrade due to the cellulose acetate they contain
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Discarded butts can be harmful to birds and marine life
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Because they are so small, cigarette butts easily get caught in paving stones and gullies and are therefore difficult to clean away effectively
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People tend to use the tops of litter bins to stub out their cigarettes but often leave the butts on top of the bins. This is not only unsightly but the butts can then blow away, increasing the litter problem.
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Cigarette ends are litter – if you do not dispose of them responsibly you could face a £50 fine for littering
How should they be disposed of?
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Please use the litter bins provided to dispose of your stubbed out cigarettes.
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We can provide free personal ashtrays on request. These are designed for the temporary disposal of cigarettes until you reach a bin. The ashtrays are made of fire-resistant plastic and can hold up to 10 cigarette ends. Please contact us for further details.
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We can also provide free-standing and wall-mounted smoking bins on request to businesses, pubs and clubs. These are available at cost price and we can provide advice on their siting, affixing etc. Information postcards can also be provided for your customers.
Further information is available by logging onto www.cigarettelitter.org|