Middlewich is officially cleaner than ever following the installation of cigarette bins in pubs and clubs across the town centre.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and the Middlewich Clean Team have joined forces to tackle the issue of cigarette butt litter in the town. Thirty two wall-mounted cigarette butt bins were purchased from Bailey Streetscene, a Cheshire-based company and installed across 16 venues in February, using funding from JTI [1].
The areas were officially monitored [2] before the bins were erected and then a few weeks after installation, to assess whether people would use the bins and reduce the amount of cigarette butt litter. The results have been fantastic, with a 56% reduction in cigarette butt litter across eight of the pubs, with all the other venues also recording a noticeable decrease in cigarette butt litter.
Stephen Dent, Vice Chairman of the Middlewich Clean Team, says: ‘Whilst the Clean Team litter picks and education programme have made a vast improvement in the amount of general litter in the streets, we still had a severe ongoing problem of cigarette litter blighting our town. We are delighted that this project has gone a considerable way towards solving this’
Tom Hirons, Corporate Affairs Manager at JTI UK, said: ‘A litter free environment is of benefit to everyone, smokers included and JTI is committed to taking the lead in effective anti-litter campaigns and programs to raise awareness and offer solutions to help avoid cigarette butt litter. This partnership with CPRE and the Middlewich Clean Team demonstrates that by working together we can make great progress in this area’.
Samantha Harding, Stop the Drop Campaign Manager at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, says: ‘This is such an encouraging result. We know that most people want to do the right thing and get rid of their cigarette butts responsibly, so it’s great that people have embraced the new bins and kept their favourite pubs and bars cleaner.’
End
Notes to Editors [1] The cost of the bins and their installation totalled £4,966 [2] Keep Britain Tidy has been commissioned to deliver three monitoring phases – before installation, shortly after installation and six months after installation. This will provide quantitative data on the amount of littered cigarette butts at each stage, as well as qualitative data about the experiences and perceptions of Pubwatch members with regard to littering behaviour. This monitoring work will provide empirical evidence as to whether investment in additional bins leads to a reduction in cigarette litter. The cost of this six month project is £8,575.20.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) fights for a better future for the English countryside. We work locally and nationally to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. Our members are united in their love for England’s landscapes and rural communities, and stand up for the countryside, so it can continue to sustain, enchant and inspire future generations. Founded in 1926, President: Sir Andrew Motion, Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk
JTI, a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies, is a leading international tobacco manufacturer. It markets world-renowned brands such as Camel, Winston and Mevius (Mild Seven). Other global brands include Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, Sobranie, Glamour and LD. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and about 27,000 employees worldwide, JTI has operations in more than 120 countries. Its core revenue in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, was USD 12.3 billion. For more information, visit www.jti.com.
The Middlewich Clean Team is a voluntary group of over 200 residents of the market town of Middlewich in Cheshire whose vision is to develop and promote a culture of pride in the town and community by working towards a litter free town and a pleasant environment for all to live in. www.middlewichcleanteam.co.uk
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İMiddlewich Clean Team 2012