Mountain of Cigarettes Dumped on High Street in Attempt to Stop Litter
A striking display of nearly a quarter of a million cigarette butts has emerged on a London high street, organised by the charity Keep Britain Tidy. The 6ft-tall mound aims to spotlight the alarming 2.7 million cigarette butts discarded daily on UK high streets. Crafted from real collected butts, it symbolises the 225,000 dropped every hour nationwide, with cigarettes constituting 66% of England's litter.
A poll by the charity reveals a perception gap, with smokers three times less likely to recognize cigarette ends as problematic litter than non-smokers. Keep Britain Tidy's CEO, Allison Ogden-Newton, Calls for a change in attitudes towards cigarette litter, emphasising its environmental impact.
The sculpture, commissioned by the charity, will be exhibited in a museum as a lasting reminder. Despite varied reactions, including shock and indifference from onlookers, it signifies the pervasive issue of discarded cigarettes.
Beyond high streets, real-world analysis estimates that 2.7 million cigarette butts are discarded daily in UK town centres, contributing to a global total of 12 billion. In related efforts, the UK government is considering raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes, addressing concerns about potential consequences such as a black market.
The Local Government Association emphasises the substantial cost councils bear annually for street cleaning, a significant portion dedicated to managing cigarette litter. The cigarette butt mound serves as a visual call to action, urging smokers to recognize their role in the environmental problem and responsibly dispose of their waste.
