Friday 22nd June 2007 :: 15:05:26           

CIGARETTE ENDS AND CHEWING GUM ARE NOW CLASSED AS LITTER - GETTING CAUGHT DROPPING LITTER CAN NOW RESULT IN A FIXED PENALTY NOTICE OF UP TO £75. As per the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

*Our Ecologist, Emma investigates the problem further...

                         open                     lock                          clean

According to a report by **POST in 2003, "LA's [Local Authorities] already spend over £400million on street cleaning each year. Cleaning up chewing gum would add to this and may lead to further costs in the long term from damage to pavements. Several LA's have said that they would like central government to collect a levy from manufacturers as a contribution to clean-up costs."

Collecting a levy from the manufacturers doesn't actually address the problem, which is simply - people unashamedly discarding their small litter items in public areas.

It is 2007 and it is only now that we are becoming evolved and educated enough as a species, to understand that it is in our interest not to treat our environment as a communal dump. Why should our streets, towns, cities and coastlines be used as a litter bin for those who can't be bothered disposing of their litter correctly.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, aims to tackle these problems through legislation - namely fixed penalty notices of up to £75, issued to anyone caught in the act of littering!  We fully condone fining offenders, but we also believe that the powers that be (whether Local Authorities or cigarette and chewing gum manufacturers) need to provide people with the necessary tools to enable them to dispose of their litter correctly. Our MINI-BIN keyrings are particularly useful for consumers of cigarettes and chewing gum.

The ideal scenario would be that cigarettes and chewing gum didn't exist - but we live in a democracy and people are free to smoke and chew gum if they want to - who are we to say they can't? Sustainable development is all about 'meeting the needs of our generation without compromising future generations' ability to do the same.' (WCED,1987)

It is not only a problem in the UK. We believe tour operators should provide their customers with tools such as our unique MINI-BIN keyrings to help minimise the negative environmental impact of cheap overseas package holidays (don't even get us started on air transport emissions).

Cigarette litter gets washed from the shores into the sea - This cigarette litter gets ingested by marine species causing allsorts of environmental & ecological problems. I mean, just how long could a white sea bream survive on a 40 a day habit?

The anti social practice of using our public areas to dispose of our unwanted cigarette and chewing gum litter is not only an expensive practice, it has a negative environmental impact and can pose a health risk.

As the anti-smoking lobby's campaign for the right to cleaner indoor air, has now been realised. Employers are banning smoking from not only indoor areas but outdoor areas too - employees are forced out on to public spaces where the facilities are understandably limited to non-existent. Increased cigarette litter equals increased pollution and increased costs to our Local Authorities - and we wonder why our council tax keeps rising! If you are a consumer of cigarettes or chewing gum please use a mini-bin keyring. 

SOME FACTS TO CHEW OVER (sorry)....

***Cigarette filters are made of plastic cellulose acetate and take many years to decompose