Special bins tackle smoking-related litter

Smoking bin on West Malling High Street

'More bins' have been installed in West Malling to help tackle smoking-related litter

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has rolled out a scheme to target cigarette littering in settings where smokers tend to gather.
 
The council is protecting the local environment by introducing Keep Britain Tidy’s 'More Bins' initiative in problem areas, including around pubs, take-aways, shops, and restaurants in West Malling, with an additional four permanent tall post bins installed outside the station and former HSBC bank in Tonbridge.

The scheme sees 20 colourful, easy-to-use, galvanised steel bucket bins filled with sand placed in West Malling at:

  • The Farmhouse public house
  • The Five Pointed Star public house
  • The Joiners Arms public house
  • The Rain Grill Kebab House
  • Tesco
  • Coral
  • The Hungry Guest
  • Costa
  • Barbers

Cigarette butt littering is a huge issue across England, accounting for 66 per cent of all litter and costing local authorities a huge amount of money to clear up. Butts pollute the environment, watercourses, and marine environments, taking up to 14 years to breakdown. In the past year the council’s enforcement contractor, NES, has issued over 3,000 fixed penalty notices for smoking-related litter.

Cllr Martin Coffin, cabinet lead for transformation and infrastructure, said: ‘Following on from the recently introduced increase in the penalties for littering and fly-tipping in Tonbridge and Malling, this grant from Keep Britain Tidy enables us to tackle smoking-related litter in the borough by making more bins available for cigarette butts.

‘With these buckets and bins in place, there can be no excuse for dropping cigarette ends in the streets.’

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden Newton OBE, said: ‘We’re delighted that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has demonstrated a real commitment to tackling cigarette litter, which is the most prolific type of litter in England, by working with us on this project.

‘Our researchers believe that the bucket bins will be a simple but very effective disposal solution to reduce cigarette littering.

‘They’re convenient and affordable. By putting a large number in a small area, we hope to show that offering an easy and convenient solution for smokers that allows them to do the right thing with their butts, we can create a cleaner environment for everyone.’

Thursday, 7th March 2024