31 MAY 2007 THE countdown continues
to England becoming smoke free on
1 July 2007 and as Harrogate Borough Council's Public
Protection Division continues its work with businesses to help them
be prepared, staff in the Street Cleansing Team are turning their
thoughts to the possible increase in smoking litter.
The Government has provided funding for local councils to help
publicise the smoke free legislation and some of this money has
been used to purchase promotional litterbins for the district's
busiest streets. Street cleansing staff will
also be giving away 5000 personal and portable
ashtrays. This is part of a promotion to
persuade smokers to dispose of their smoking litter in a
responsible manner as well as spreading the message about giving up
the habit.
Councillor Richard Cooper, Cabinet Member for the Environment,
says "We are keen to prevent more litter on our
streets as a result of the change in the law.
The council can only pick litter up the responsibility lies with
all of us to ensure that litter is disposed of correctly and
doesn't blight our streets. This is why we are
encouraging those who continue smoking after 1 July to use portable
ashtrays."
"The council is also working with the National Health Service
to offer help and assistance to smokers who want to give
up. I, for one, am stubbing out my last
cigarette on 30 June and hope, after 16 years, to finally kick the
habit."
Earlier surveys show that most people are happy to use the
stubbing out plate on public litterbins, but others were concerned
that they may set them on fire. The council has
responded by replacing bins in the worst litter areas with bins
specially designed to safely take discarded
cigarettes. ENDS
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: 10.00 am on Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Oxford Street, Harrogate (meet at rear entrance to
Woolworths). Mandie Peters, the council's Street
Cleansing Monitoring Officer, will be assisted by BIG CIG as they
hand out portable ashtrays.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Councillor
Richard Cooper is available for comment on 01423
856564. Further technical information is
available from Mrs Nicky Garside, Head of Public Protection on
01423
NOTE TO EDITORS: From 1 July 2007,
virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England will
have to become smoke free. The aim of the law is
to reduce the risk to health from exposure to second hand smoke,
recognise a person's rights to be protected from harm and enjoy
smoke free air and save lives by reducing smoking
rates.