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The Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Resort Management Board continues to work especially hard towards educating its community about the detrimental effects cigarette butt littering has on our natural environment.
A few facts about cigarette butts:
- Approximately 7.2 billion cigarettes are discarded in Australia each year.
- If all these butts were placed end-to-end they would extend 144,000 km and circle the planet 3.6 times.
- Cigarette butt litter comprises 58% of all items littered in public places around Australia.
- 350,000 butts enter Port Phillip Bay each year.
- There are over 4000 chemicals in a cigarette.
- Chemicals leach from cigarette butts within one hour of contact with water.
The Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resort Management Board is proud to be taking steps towards minimising these effects in of cigarette butt litter in our community.
Binning butts since 2008...
July 1 2008, marks Victoria's first year anniversary of the ban on indoor smoking at licensed venues as well the first anniversary for Sustainability Victoria's ‘Don't Be A Tosser' campaign.
Thanks to the hard work that licensed premises, local government and smokers put into supporting this campaign, butt litter has almost halved since the state-wide bans on indoor smoking at pubs and clubs were introduced in 2007.
Before the change in legislation butt littering behaviour rates were at 58% and were forecast to increase to 80% if no action was taken. However, thanks to the Tosser campaign, butt littering fell to 33% at the peak of the campaign in August 2008.
Find out more about the campaign by accessing the Victorian Litter Action Alliance website at: www.litter.vic.gov.au.
The Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resort Managment Board has taken action to reduce cigarette butt litter and educate smokers on the damage they cause. Initiatives include:
- Installation of stainless steel ashtrays throughout the village.
- Provision of film canisters for smokers to take for butting out their cigarettes.
- Signage and education resources available at Resort Management Board locations.
Do your bit - Bin Your Butt!
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