The City of Greater Dandenong took its battle against butts to the streets of GREATER Dandenong Council is continuing its assault on cigarette butts by threatening fines of up to $6000 for anyone caught littering the toxic waste.
The council released a statement this week saying that 60 per cent of litter was cigarette butts, and it would continue its attack on anyone who dumped butts in the street.
Waste and cleansing business unit leader Phil Robertson said the problem with butts didn’t end on the ground.
“One in 10 butts ends up in our waterways after being washed down our stormwater drains,” he said.
“They pollute the water and cause all sorts of harm to marine and freshwater animals and wildlife.
“Cigarette butts have even been found in the stomachs of dead birds and fish.”
The council began its campaign against cigarette butt litter last month with educational activities at Dandenong and Springvale shopping centres.
These included handing out fake fines to warn people caught littering cigarette butts, and the distribution of personal portable ashtrays.
The council said it would continue these activities at different sites in the city in February.
“Educating smokers that butts are litter and they cause environmental damage is the key to this campaign,” Mr Robertson said.
“Some smokers think butts are either too small to be litter or that they will be swept up by someone, especially in urban areas. They often don’t know that butts cause environmental damage.”
The council said smokers who littered butts run the risk of being fined between $107 and $6000 if caught.
It said a consequence of legislative changes in recent years was that more smokers were out on the streets where they often dropped their butts, even if there was a bin close by.
“We want to educate smokers to take personal responsibility for their butts, and the best way to do that is for them to carry a personal ashtray with them at all times,” Mr Robertson said.
