Campaign calls for people to put their butts away

A campaign led by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful and supported by the National Trust for Scotland will see free ‘minibins’ being offered at visitor centres and other outlets encouraging moorists to dispose of their cigarette ends responsibly.

With more than half of us having seen litter being irresponsibly discarded from cars and other vehicles, the Roadside Litter Campaign is urging people to take personal responsibility for keeping our streets and carriageways tidy.

Smoking-related litter is the most frequently observed type of rubbish on our streets with 50 per cent of verges being affected.

Georgina Massouraki, Roadside Litter Campaign officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Our campaign is a unique opportunity for industry, the public sector, charity and government to all work in partnership and tackle the problem of roadside litter and raise awareness of this blight on our environment.

“We are very pleased to welcome the National Trust for Scotland on board to help us tackle the blight of cigarette litter on Scotland’s iconic landscape.

“Disposing of cigarette litter out of a car window, or on the ground when out and about, is deeply habitual yet exceptionally harmful.

“By providing free minibins we are making it easy for people to do the right thing. There are no excuses for littering cigarette butts. No ifs. No butts.”

Scott McCombie, property manager and senior ranger at the National Trust for Scotland Glencoe & Dalness property, said: “People visit the National Trust for Scotland properties to escape, relax and enjoy Scotland’s beautiful natural surroundings – not to be faced with other people’s litter whether it is on the drive up, in the carp ark or out walking.

“I hope that the pocket ashtrays encourage our visitors to think about how to dispose of their cigarette ends responsibly – protecting our environment and keeping our countryside clean.”

More than 2000 free minibin ashtrays are available to order online at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/roadside-litter or pick up at National Trust for Scotland visitor centres.

Burn-proof, smell-proof and spill-proof, the minibins offer a reusable solution for collecting cigarette butts when out and about.