Why is the dropping of cigarette ends now a problem?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...roblem-survey-reveals

Why has the dropping of cigarette ends suddenly become a problem?

Years ago when almost every adult smoked, I can never remember such a problem, could it be that in those days the streets were regularly swept clean, by a man with a hand cart and brush.

[jno]

litter has been a problem for quite a while. Getting people not to litter, rather than running round behind them with a broom, seems a sensible way to tackle it: deal with the causes not the effects.

http://4.bp.blogspot....KJ5w/s400/k4photo.jpg

[S_C]

the answer to thsi simple .
Concils have a large area to keep clean and they are looking at the clean up costs of this area , as most cigarettes carry filters which dont break down naturely within a quick time period , the council spend a lot of time clearing up these " ends " and so it is classed as littering , which obviously incures a fine. as would any littering.
It is also a way to help promote the governements stand on smoking , by making it harder to smoke " and dispose of your " ends" it makes it harder to smoke and therefore pushes you towards quiting.

[LoftyLottie]

I can remember fag ends being dropped years ago all over the place. A disgusting habit. People should put their fag ends in bins or take them home to dispose of them. I never understand why is felt acceptable to drop fag ends all over the place. Yes the streets were regularly swept clean but the problem lies with the filthy people who chuck their cigarette ends down (or fling them out of car windows).

End of rant.

[LoftyLottie]

Oooh, I seem to have agreed with jno!!

[B00]

It could also have alot to do with the fact people are not allowed to smoke indoors anymore, where they usually put stubs in an ashtray.

Now you're reduced to somking outside.

[joggerjayne]

Since the smoking ban, nowhere provides ashtrays.

[LoftyLottie]

But no reason to drop the fag ends BOO!

[LoftyLottie]

Take them home and dispose of them in your own bin. No excuses not to.

[Gromit]

Because for years smokers believed themselves exempt from littering laws, for no good reason other than they had always done it.

The law on littering is being applied universally, and I notice from my local newspaper, hefty fines are being applied to smokers who drop their litter.

It is a shame they are only targeting this easy target for fines when the mess from takeaways is the biggest problem, especially at weekends.

[jno]

I'd say put all the smokers in the stocks, but people would only throw vegetables at them and that would make more mess than the fag-ends.

[Gromit]

jno

//Most cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic. The white fibers you see in a cigarette filter are NOT cotton, but a plastic that can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic.//

Vegetables biodegrade a lot quick.

[jno]

you'd still need a man with a cart to clean them up. But as I deplore waste, perhaps he could deliver them to the poor. A lot better than delivering cigarette butts to them.

[daffy654]

You can purchase mini portable ashtrays these days,there is no excuse for dropping cigarette butts on the floor.
http://cleanercities....gum-litter_A198C.aspx

[ummmm]

Most bins have ashtrays on top. Most pubs have ashtrays on the wall outside.

I must admit I nearly put my cigarette out on someones intercom last week...

[ChuckFickens]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's nearly stubbed a ciggie out on a door entry intercom!

[B00]

I like those daffy, never seen one before, and using that seems a better option than a cabbage thrown at me courtesy of jno.

[daffy654]

Beach,festival or picnic ashtray:
http://water4fish.co....e-ashtray/product.php

Just google for pocket or portable ashtrays,there are loads to choose from :-)

[daffy654]

My local city (Preston) has been really coming down hard on people who drop gum or cigarette ends for a few years now,they did give out the pocket ashtrays at the start of the clampdown for free,obviously they ran out of them pretty quickly. They have these strange boards up that you are supposed to stick used gum to and they look really disgusting,it made me never want to chew gum again after seeing one of those.

[ChuckFickens]

My local council (Braintree) had a campaign about a year ago where they gave out free portable ashtrays to people smoking in the street.

they initially gave out 1000 but the demand was so high that they ordered and gave out a further 500 for free and then local shops started selling them at cost price and they have since sold about another 1000+

So it seems most smokers would rather not drop their butts, if they are given another option.