Bin-It…or risk a £75 fine awareness effort launched

A major new awareness effort highlighting the role and responsibilities of local people in the fight against grime was launched today by Bath & North East Somerset Council – with a warning that people who break the rules and get caught will be given a £75 on-the-spot fine.

The awareness effort, endorsed by the Keep Britain Tidy Group will focus people’s minds on the fact that no-one would ever dispose of the litter in their own garden or driveway – so why should they dispose of it in the street?

Councillor Charles Gerrish Cabinet Member for Service Delivery, said, “Although Bath & North East Somerset Council spends £2.35 million keeping the streets clean, we need local residents to think and act responsibly when disposing of their litter. It is a combined effort between the Council, local businesses, communities, and individuals themselves to help keep the streets clean and tidy. This awareness effort drives that message home very strongly and reminds people that if they disobey the rules they run the risk of a heavy, on the spot fine.”

The Council has issued four ways in which residents can play their part in keeping their streets clean and tidy.

1.    Dispose of your litter responsibly by using a litter bin or take it home with you;

2.    Report instances of litter, graffiti, and flytipping to Council Connect on 01225 39 40 41 or councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk or Text SMS 07797 806545;

3.    If you are a smoker, purchase a Butts Out personal ashtray to dispose of cigarette ends – go to www.bathnes.gov.uk/cleanerneighbourhoods

4.    Organise or get involved in a community clean-up – call Council Connect for ideas and details.

The Council has joined forces with CSR Solutions to support the promotion of the Butts Out personal ashtrays. Charlie Hamshaw-Thomas, Principal at CSR Solutions, said, “I hope people will be encouraged to think again about irresponsibly disposing of their cigarette butts on the floor – they are a menace to any urban area. Purchasing a personal ashtray is one of the most convenient ways of disposing of your butts.”

Support in the Local Community

Local business and residents groups are supporting the aims of the campaign.

Paul Myers, Chairman of the Midsomer Norton & Radstock Chamber of Commerce, said, “As a business community, we've put a lot of effort into making our retail areas as attractive as possible in the past year in order to encourage shoppers – but the amount of litter has been an ongoing problem. We therefore very much welcome this district-wide awareness campaign to make people think of the consequences if they choose to drop litter, gum, and cigarette butts in our High Streets or throw them into the River Somer.”

Michael Rich, from the Midsomer Norton Society, said, “I’m afraid that mindless disposal of litter, whether dropped on the streets or thrown in other residents’ front gardens, is now endemic. We welcome this campaign as a start to changing the culture, focusing people’s attention on the damage they are doing to the environment and the offence they are causing to the community at large by not binning their litter.”