Hey, Bin Your Butt.

Bay Of Plenty News 11/2004

Duncan Eddy has been smoking for 10 years.

" It's a disgusting habit, " Duncan says- but he's referring to the practice of flicking butts on to the street, a problem expected to worsen when smokers are forced outside from this Friday.

The environmentalist from Nelson sees a 'catch 22' situation - he's all for the Smokefree Environments Amendments Act saving the health of thousands by taking smoking outdoors, but is worried about the impact fag ends will have on water quality and marine life.

" The introduction of the act means that all those piles of butts that used to stink out ashtrays in pubs, clubs and cafes are going to end up outside. Most of these toxic filters make their way into waterways via storm water systems, wind and tides."

Duncan says the filters threaten marine life and water quality with a ' toxic cocktail of 4000 chemicals '.

" Many fish and birds also choke after mistaking a waterlogged butt for a snack " he says.

Duncan is trying to introduce free portable ashtrays to New Zealand's city centres.

He got the idea from Byron Bay in Australia, where local businesses were offering free portable ashtrays to visitors in the form of reused film canisters.

The simple concept is that smokers will " bin their butt " rather than flicking them out onto the street.

Last week Duncan dropped off cartons of the canisters to 5 businesses in Tauranga including Mainstreet Tauranga and Tauranga Environment Centre.