Mid and East Antrim smokers balloted on climate change as they bin butts

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is working in collaboration with the borough council to provide dedicated cigarette butt bins in four areas. These are sited at: Springwell Road car park Ballymena; Town Hall and Main Street, Larne and the Marine car park in Carrickfergus.

Each of the ballot bins displays a question and two answers to encourage smokers to dispose of cigarette butts responsibly. Smokers vote by putting their cigarette butt in the slot underneath their chosen answer. Stubs will stack up behind the clear glass front in two columns displaying which answer is more popular.

Bin creator Hubbub claims the incentive has proven to reduce cigarette butt litter by up 46%.

Chris Gourley, from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said: “The cigarette ballot bins are a fun way to encourage smokers to dispose of their litter properly. Most people aren’t aware that the plastic cigarette butts release dangerous chemicals, such as arsenic and lead, into the environment.

"The bins are proving to be a useful tool in our efforts to tackle plastic waste as well as adding a bit of social engagement.”

Recently Published

The environmental charity recently published the ‘Cleaner Neighbourhoods Report 2021’ which showed that the most abundant type of litter recorded was cigarette related, in particular butts.

In 2021, 65% of all transects surveyed had some form of cigarette litter present. This is an unsightly form of litter that often grows exponentially. As more cigarette butts are discarded, it appears to ‘signal’ to smokers this is acceptable. Cigarette stubs are difficult for litter pickers to collect, and they are made from cellulose acetate, a type of plastic that takes at least 13 years to break down.

The project, which is funded by the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs’ (DAERA), is helping the local government authority deliver on its environmental policy and strategy.

The Mayor, Alderman Noel Williams, said: “We are delighted to have secured new cigarette ballot boxes for our borough.

"We are aware of the ongoing issue of littering, particularly single-use plastic litter and welcome the collaborative approach in raising awareness, educating the public and putting in place interventions to reduce this type of pollution.”