Media Release: 23 September 2010
Cigarette butts remain just under half of all items found in the litter stream according to the 2009/10 National Litter Index (NLI) released today by Keep Australia Beautiful National.
Butts increased slightly in 2009/10 to 32 items per 1000m², (up from 30 in 2008/09 and returning to their 2007/08 level of 32) while overall the number of littered items increased marginally to 66 (up from 63 items in 2008/09).
Overall the trend for cigarette butts is downward though, from a starting point of 35 butts in 2006/07 and they still only comprise a very small proportion of the overall litter volume (0.004 litres per 1000m² in 2009/10).
Commenting on the results, CEO of Butt Free Australia Wendy Jones said ‘While it is not exactly the result we would have hoped for there are still some encouraging signs to come out of the NLI with South Australia (21) and Victoria (25) and ACT (27) having relatively low counts that have trended down strongly over time’.
‘It is also good to see Western Australia show solid improvement (down from 41 to 33 butts) after a not so good report card last year and both Queensland and New South Wales, despite recording increases in 2009/10, still have encouraging overall downward trends’ Jones said.
‘Unfortunately the news was not quite so good for the Northern Territory, who by maintaining a count of 38 butts in 2009/10, continue to struggle compared to their base of 30 butts in 2006/07 while Tasmania recorded an unusual high count of 56 butts per 1000m² that we can cannot explain and can only hope was a one-off’ Jones added.
Acknowledging that there continues to be a widespread problem with cigarette butt littering, Butt Free Australia is now placing greater emphasis on raising broader awareness of this important litter issue and its environmental consequences through its ‘Not a Good Look’ campaign.
Backed by solid attitudinal and behavioural research, the campaign launched in mid 2010 places personal responsibility at the forefront of the issue and reminds people that no matter what way you look at it butt littering is not a good look.
‘The Not a Good Look campaign will be even stronger in 2011’ Jones said ‘and we look forward to working with local, state & territory governments, land and facility managers, stakeholders such as hoteliers and cafe owners and key community groups to tackle this very public problem at a very public level’.
The ability to obtain a free personal ashtray by visiting www.notagoodlook.com.au, education materials that are freely available from the site and the Not A Good Look Community Service Announcement (produced in partnership with Keep Australia Beautiful National) are just some of the elements that continue to be rolled out and support the broad awareness raising component that is delivered through a mix of advertising mediums.
ENDS
For further information or interview, please contact:
Wendy Jones - CEO Butt Free Australia m 0418 172 400 www.buttfree.org.au
For further information on the NLI visit www.kab.org.au
