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Butts on show in the Western Suburbs
Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) and several western suburbs local councils have joined forces to highlight the issue of cigarette butt litter.
The street blitz campaign saw staff handing out personal ashtrays and mock infringements to irresponsible smokers at popular spots in Perth’s western suburbs including the Subiaco and Claremont shopping precincts, launching a month-long Bin Your Butt campaign aimed at reducing cigarette butt litter across the western suburbs.
KAB's Community Education Coordinator Rohan Swan (right) with City of Subiaco’s Heidi Harvisty promoting the Bin your Butt message at Claremont Train Station.
The litter abatement program is a joint initiative between KAB WA and the Western Suburbs Regional Organisation Council (WESROC) comprising the cities of Subiaco and Nedlands, the towns of Cambridge, Claremont, Cottesloe, Mosman Park and Peppermint Grove and the Western Metropolitan Regional Council.
KAB Project Officer Rohan Swan said the displays were of great interest to the public.
“Many people were genuinely shocked when they discovered just how much cigarette butt litter there is and how harmful it can be,” Rohan said.
“Just about every smoker we spoke to was more than happy to take a personal ashtray and were thankful for the opportunity to do the right thing".
“The response was great and we can hopefully reduce cigarette butt litter everywhere.”
KAB Chairperson Mel Hay said that cigarette butts are, by number, the most littered item in the state and it is disappointing to see so many butts just thrown on the ground.
“Apart from being unsightly, butts take up to 12 years to breakdown and contain many toxic chemicals that leach into our waterways,” Mel said.
“Butts are often mistaken for food by birds and marine animals with devastating consequences.”
“It is great to see local councils taking up the initiative and drawing the public’s attention to this problem.”
For more information on Bin Your Butt and other litter prevention programs, visit Keep Australia Beautiful at www.kabc.wa.gov.au or email kabc@dec.wa.gov.au.
