The world’s biggest cigarette butt has been 'dumped' in Trafalgar Square to highlight what’s become the country’s biggest litter problem.
With cigarette related litter on 78% of the country’s streets, Keep Britain Tidy is launching its most aggressive advertising campaign against people who drop their butts on our streets.
The giant butt is 30ft high, 1.5metres wide and symbolises the problem that is plaguing the nation.
According to Keep Britain Tidy, since the ban on smoking in public places came in last July, we are literally swimming in a sea of cig butts.
And as the number of cig ends continues to soar, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Phil Barton has gone on the offensive:
“Since the smoking ban was brought in nine months ago, the number of discarded butts on our streets has soared. We applaud the cigarette ban as it has made our pubs and restaurants more pleasant environments to be in. But unfortunately we are now seeing an epidemic of smoking related litter on our streets.
“The message is clear: dumping fag stubs on the ground is disgusting and people responsible will face fines.”
On Tuesday 8 April, Keep Britain Tidy will launch its biggest ever anti-smoking litter campaign:
*Thirteen councils from across the country are “campaign partners” and will be quick to issue on-the-spot fines to anyone caught chucking their cig.
*10,000 posters and banners will go up across the country warning “Dirty Chuckers” of £80 fines. These will appear in bus shelters, phone boxes, pub toilets and lampposts.
*50,000 beer mats will go to pubs across the land to highlight the problem.
Mr Barton added: “Throughout April our local authority partners will step up their efforts to issue on-the-spot fines to smokers who dump their stubs on the streets rather than use bins provided.
“Now is the time for smokers to change the dirty habit which is staining our streets, particularly in town and city centres. Almost half the councils in England have received serious complaints from the public and this is simply not acceptable.”
The campaign is also backed by portable ashtray, Ashcan, available at Tesco, just one of the many solutions available in the UK.
London is bidding to become the cleanest city on earth in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games.
And this week two British stars from Olympic past and future are urging Londoners to join them in the Capital Clean-Up campaign.
Exciting Beijing medal hope Jessica Ennis and Olympic gold winner Sally Gunnell will wear vests bearing the slogan “London Needs You!” They are urging residents to get the city in tip-top condition for 2012 and beyond.
Clean-up events will take place the length and breadth of the city over the next 100 days. Residents and organisations are asked to sign up – to help rid streets of rubbish, litter and graffiti.
The initiative is backed by London local authorities and organisations including the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.
Jessica and Sally launched the campaign, joining Thames 21 volunteers cleaning up the foreshore on the banks of the Thames.
Jessica, 22, is one of the nation’s hopes for Olympic glory in the heptathlon in China this summer. She also has ambitions to strike gold in London 2012.
She said: “London attracts around 27 million visitors each year and cleanliness of streets is one of the first things people notice when they go to a new place. Londoners are very proud of their city and we want them to play their part in making the capital the cleanest city on earth.”
Sally, who won gold in the 400m hurdles in Barcelona 1992 said: “The eyes of the world will be on us during the Olympic Games and it’s up to each of us to get the city looking the best it can. We want people to sign up to community clean-up events taking place in their area in preparation for 2012.
“But this isn’t just about getting the city clean for visitors; we want all residents to live in surroundings which are free from litter.”
Joe Tavernier, chair of Capital Standards said: “We want to push the grime out of London and sell the capital to the world. By taking part in clean-up events, residents and organisations are showing pride in their city. We want to raise the standards for 2012 and make real improvements in communities in all boroughs across the capital.”
The 100-day-clean-up will take place each spring between now and 2012.