Keep Britain Tidy Release 1st June 2007
After July 1, smokers who comply with the smoking ban in England by lighting up outside a public building instead of in it could face an on the spot fine for littering.
That`s if they discard their cigarette end on the street.
Alan Woods, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy said: "Smokers will think they are avoiding a fine by lighting-up outside. If they don`t dispose of their cigarette stub responsibly, by putting it in a bin or portable ashtray, they are risking being issued with a fine of up to £80 for littering instead."
That`s why Keep Britain Tidy is launching a poster campaign from Monday June 4 to encourage all smokers and businesses to take responsibility for cigarette ends. Posters will appear on bus stops, billboards and phone boxes across England.
Already, nearly 80% of streets are blighted by cigarette stubs – 20% more than five years ago. Not only is it unsightly, but costly too. The annual clean up bill stands at £200 million just for cigarette ends. With such a widespread problem, it is likely to ignite further once the smoking ban is in force if businesses and smokers are not prepared.
Keep Britain Tidy asked those smokers who do not `bin their butt` now, why not. The majority were concerned that if they threw their finished cigarette into a bin, it may set alight.
While Keep Britain Tidy recognises this genuine concern, there are solutions – such as portable ashtrays. From Monday June 4, Tesco will be the first national store ever to retail portable ashtrays.
The "Ashcan", which mimics the size and shape of a cigarette, fits nicely into a cigarette packet where it can be used to extinguish stubs. It is heat resistant, stores up to three ends at a time without omitting any odour and can be bought from Tesco stores in England.
Other types of portable ashtrays are available to buy from www.keepbritaintidy.org
"It is not just down to smokers to take responsibility," added Alan. "Businesses which don`t provide a cigarette bin are making their customers easy prey for enforcement officers. Any premises that will be affected by the new ban needs to start making provisions for their employees and customers to dispose of their cigarette ends."
A simple measure like putting a bin outside will make a great difference to how much smoking litter lines the outside of a business. Keep Britain Tidy has arranged discounts on a choice of cigarette bins, more information about these offers can be found on www.keepbritaintidy.org
Supporting the campaign are 12 councils across the country: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Camden, Colchester, Cornwall, Leeds, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Stoke-On-Trent, Wigan and Wirral. Between them they will be issuing on the spot fines, handing out free portable ashtrays, putting more cigarette bins in hotspot areas and getting businesses on board.
Alan concluded: "Councils have every right to fine people if they are caught dropping litter, whether a crisp packet or a cigarette end. Smokers who do not use a bin at the moment have a number of options available to them to avoid being fined and spoiling our streets – it is vital they start using them."
For further information
For media enquiries only please call the Keep Britain Tidy Press Office on 01942 612617/634.
