Butt it in the bin!

Wigan Council is asking smokers to do their bit to keep the streets clean if they step outside for a quick fag once all public places become smoke-free on 1 July.

The council has won £15,000 of government funding to drive home the message that discarded cigarette butts are still litter. It is providing beer mats, wall mounted ashtrays and special ‘stubbi’ pouches in places where there is the greatest risk of more rubbish.

Local authorities across England are gearing up for a deluge of extra cigarette litter once the ban takes effect. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents over 400 councils in England and Wales, is warning that street cleaners will need to concentrate on areas outside pubs and clubs in the months following 1 July.

Wigan Council is one of twelve councils taking part in a national campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy, the Wigan-based national environmental charity. A survey carried out by Keep Britain Tidy last year revealed that nearly 80% of town centres were blighted by cigarette ends and fag packets.

Pubs in Wigan, Leigh, Ashton and Atherton will be given:

• Posters
• Beer mats
• 1 wall mounted ashtray
• Stubbi pouches – a pocket size way of getting rid of cigarette butts without dropping them on the street

Stubbi pouches will also be available to the public at Wigan and Leigh town halls and libraries in the 11 main town centres.

Keep Britain Tidy posters are going up in bus shelters and on bill boards across the borough. Cllr David Molyneux, the council’s environment champion said:

“It is great to be part of such a big national campaign. I really hope smokers who live, work and visit Wigan borough take heed of the message and deal with their cigarette rubbish responsibly.”

The Mayor of Wigan, Cllr John O’Brien, will launch the borough’s campaign on Thursday 14 June at the Berkeley Pub in Wallgate, Wigan.

Reformed smoker Cllr O’Brien said:

"The council is committed to improving the cleanliness and environmental quality of the borough. When the new smoke free law comes into effect on 1st July we anticipate that smoking related litter could increase – in fact it is already a significant problem.

“So we are keen to support our local businesses to try and prevent any further cigarette related litter being dropped in our town centres.”

Note to editors

1. Media are welcome at the launch of the Wigan campaign at 3pm on Thursday 14 June at the Berkeley in Wallgate.
2. 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.
3. Further information: John Rowbotham 01942 404369 or Wigan Council’s press office on 01942 827164.