SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: Smokers urged to bin their rubbish

SMOKERS in Chard are being asked not to drop cigarette ends or empty packets in the town.

It comes with news of a launch, later this month, of an anti-cigarette litter campaign being put into action by Chard Town Council.

Supported by South Somerset District Council, Chard Town Council amenities staff will be using mechanical sweepers provided by the district authority to deep clean the town centre the week commencing September 22, 2014.

Assisting with the deep clean will be workers supplied by the Probation Service who are taking part in the community payback scheme.

Once the area has been cleaned, Chard Town Council will be putting up anti-cigarette litter posters which have been supplied by Keep Britain Tidy.

Advice and support has also been provided by the district council’s environmental health enforcement team regarding possible enforcement action to those found dropping cigarette related litter and also how to educate residents.

ChardTown Council’s operations manager, Ed Ringwood, said: “I have been in contact with the ranger at Chard Reservoir and a lot of cigarette butts are thrown into the streams in Fore Street which can then end up in the reservoir. This then causes environmental issues down at the Nature Reserve for example.

“We are now asking all smokers to start to make sure cigarette related litter is put into bins. You can save yourself the embarrassment of a fine from South Somerset District Council’s enforcement officers and help the environment at the same time.”

Somerset County Council’s public health team are running a smoke free play parks campaign and at a recent Chard Town Council meeting, it was resolved that this would be adopted for the play parks in Chard.

Signs have been provided by Somerset County Council and will be put up in play parks to coincide with the anti-cigarette litter campaign.

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