Businesses Urged to Join Fight Against Cigerette Litter

BUSINESSES in Charnwood are being invited to make a pledge to tackle cigarette litter in the Borough to help keep town centres clean and tidy.

The call to action comes from Charnwood Borough Council after it last week launched a blitz on cigarette litter as part of the Don’t Muck Around environmental campaign.

The Council wants local companies, especially those in town and village centres throughout the Borough, to encourage customers and staff to responsibly dispose of smoking materials.

Participating businesses will receive a pledge certificate and promotional poster to show their commitment to the campaign and the environment.

The move comes after more than 1,200 cigarette ends were dumped on streets in three Charnwood town centres – Loughborough, Shepshed and Syston - in just one day.

Councillor Jane Hunt, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said: “We’re inviting businesses to join our award-winning campaign to raise awareness of the penalties of the offence and encourage responsible disposal of smoking materials with their customers and staff.

“Although our street cleaning teams do a fantastic job of keeping the streets tidy, their time - and taxpayers’ money – could be used elsewhere if people disposed of cigarette ends responsibly.

“We have to clear up hundreds of cigarette ends every day because many people are not aware that cigarette ends are litter. People can be fined £80 for getting rid of cigarettes on the streets.”

Louise Ross, manager of the NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Stop Smoking Service (STOP!), said: “It’s really good to see businesses coming together with local authorities to clean up our streets. Everyone complains about litter, and cigarette litter is one of the worst kinds.”

The Don’t Muck Around campaign was launched on September 5 when an army of human cigarettes formed an ‘ash mob’ in Loughborough Town Centre to promote the campaign.

It is now in its second year and was crowned Britain’s best environmental campaign at the Keep Britain Tidy Network Awards.

If you are a business who wants to sign the pledge, visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/dontmuckaround2012, call 01509 634564 or email cleaner.greener@charnwood.gov.uk

If you are a smoker who wants to quit, Contact STOP! on 0116 295 4141.

 

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