Bin Your Butts!

This summer, Keep Britain Tidy is running a programme to remind people cigarette butts are litter and should be disposed of as such.

Councillor Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Borough Council, said: “This is the Council’s latest initiative to help keep Pendle tidy, in addition to a continuous plea to residents to dispose of their litter properly.

“This year we are celebrating Pendle’s 50th Anniversary. We’re celebrating Pendle the place, the people and our shared values – one of which is pride – and this is one way we can take pride in our borough.

“Cigarette butts are rubbish. In fact, they are the single most littered item. They can take up to 14 years to break apart, harming wildlife and polluting where we live.

“So, it is imperative we get this message across and encourage people to treat cigarette butts like all other litter and dispose of them correctly.”

David Walker, the Council's Assistant Director of Operational Services, added: “We provide plenty of litter bins throughout the borough; so there should be no excuse for not using one when getting rid of your cigarette butt or other waste when on the go.

“We are constantly trying to encourage and educate residents to dispose of their litter correctly.

“Last year we carried out a fly-tipping campaign, helping residents in several targeted wards to dispose of their unwanted household items.

“We also concentrated on tackling the problem of chewing gum embedded on the borough’s streets.

“Our Operational Services department removed gum from public places in Nelson, Colne and Barrowford and then erected targeted signage on nearby litter bins and railings as a constant reminder for people to bin their gum.

“This summer we are backing Keep Britain Tidy’s campaign in asking people to bin their butts!”

Councillor Zafar Ali, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, added: “Cigarette butts make up an astonishing 66% of all littered items and cause devastating environmental damage.

“They are made of plastic and do not biodegrade; therefore, over time, they break apart into microplastics and seep toxins into the earth and our waterways.

“When you consider that nearly 3 million cigarette butts are littered in the UK every day, you can start to understand what a big issue this is.”