The battle to create a butt free environment is being fought in 13 Local Governments across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. The campaign will encourage smokers to be more aware of the degradation caused by careless butt disposal. Following a national call for submissions the independent Butt Littering Trust has invested over $400,000 in projects across the country.
As part of the program, Byron Shire Council, on New South Wales’ north coast, has joined with neighbouring Ballina Shire Council to reduce butt littering in their CBDs and littering from passing traffic. At Eurobodalla Shire Council in New South Wales, custodian groups at eight beaches have taken ownership of this campaign to send a message to ‘tossers’ to take responsibility for their actions. Under the campaign, bins will be placed at key locations together with enforcement measures. The Sydney Coastal Councils Group comprising 15 Local Governments are teaming up to educate and inform the public with new materials.
Queensland’s Noosa Council is running a pilot program on a regional basis, while Toowoomba City Council’s project is to distribute educational materials and place ashtrays throughout Council outdoor areas.
The Zero Waste South Australia project builds on existing work to improve Adelaide’s metropolitan beaches, adjacent hospitality and parking areas.
The Grampians Regional Waste Management Group in Victoria is seeking to reduce butt littering in town centres and iconic settings in the region. In Victoria’s Bayside City Council a No Butts at our Supermarket campaign builds upon its ongoing ‘Bin it or Swim in it’ summer litter prevention program. The supermarket campaign complements the work done on beaches by linking butt litter on local streets to butts that end up on beaches. Moira, Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Indigo and Towong Councils will hold an integrated education, community awareness and infrastructure campaign in towns along the Murray River and its immediate tributaries.
A multilingual campaign targeted at outdoor restaurants and cafes by providing information, windproof ashtrays and the promotion of personal ashtrays is being conducted in Maribyrnong City Council in Victoria. Local laws officers will also be used to warn people about fines using ‘$100 bill’ flyers.
It estimated that over seven billion butts enter the litter stream every year through littering. The introduction of new smoking bans means that smokers have moved outside and don’t have a full understanding of the environmental impact of their butts as they hit the footpaths, gutters, highways and beaches.
The project campaigns are all designed to make smokers aware by examining their own littering behaviour.
Chair of the Trust, Ian Coles, said research shows many smokers don’t associate flicking their butts with littering.
“The habit is so ingrained that they are unaware of their actions,” he said. “Butts are potent pellets when they become waterborne and are costly to clean up.”
The Butt Littering Trust is an independent organisation responsible for managing and allocating funds to support and establish anti butt littering projects across Australia.
For more information visit the web site at www.buttlitteringtrust.org.au
