Did you know that cigarette butts make up about half of the litter on Dublin city’s streets*? Combating this is the aim behind a new litter awareness initiative from Dublin City Council. The campaign aims to make smokers aware of the important role they can play in a cleaner Dublin by reminding them that ‘Butts are Rubbish. Bin Them.’
Lord Mayor Cllr Emer Costello launches the campaign at 10.15am on Thursday 1st October on South King Street. The Lord Mayor says “Although we have made significant progress in recent years we still face a constant challenge to keep the city clean on a consistent basis. By simply disposing of our litter properly we can all play an important role and in this campaign we are particularly asking smokers to do their bit by binning cigarette butts.”
Research shows that that the areas outside cinemas, public transport stops and pubs are among the worst black spots for cigarette litter. From 5th October, 150 bins at these locations will be specially wrapped reminding smokers to dispose of their cigarette litter properly. Outdoor and print adverts will also be used to tell smokers to ‘Mind Where You Put Your Butt’.
Dublin City Council is supported in the campaign by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin City Business Improvement District Company Ltd (BID) and Failte Ireland.
According to Richard Guiney, CEO Dublin City BID Company Ltd “Most people don’t realise that discarding cigarette butts on the street constitutes litter. However, by not properly disposing of their butts they are contributing to half of all litter taken off our streets. We all stand to gain if we think twice about cigarette litter disposal and use one of the many on street bins provided.”
Paddy Mathews, Environmental Manager with Failte Ireland says “The sustainability of the tourism industry is heavily dependent upon the maintenance of a clean, green environment. Our overseas visitors are attracted to Ireland because of our scenic landscapes, historic towns and friendly people. If litter pollution is not tackled in the short term, it will undermine the credibility of our clean, green image. Failte Ireland is delighted to be associated with this initiative by Dublin City Council which it believes will make a significant contribution to a cleaner Dublin city for ourselves and our visitors."
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