Largs cigarette butt problem to be tackled by campaign

There was a plea at the meeting from resident Janet Muir for smokers to 'stub it out' and safely dispose of their cigarettes rather than leaving them on Largs Prom and littering the town.

Janet, who is well known in the community for carrying out a range of charity initiatives, says that she was surprised by the amount of cigarette butts littering the prom, and in other areas of the town centre.

Janet said: "I am really concerned about the amount of cigarette butts being thrown around this town. It is absolutely disgusting.

"People moan about children throwing crisp packets down but what are these adults showing children?

"If you walk around the town they are everywhere, there are all these cigarette butts. Surely there is something that can be done."

Janet Muir: Concern over the amount of cigarette butts in beauty spots in Largs (Image: Newsquest)

Councillor Ian Murdoch said: "A lot of it comes from commercial premises and a lot of them attend to it themselves and they are very vigilant and pick them up.

"However, there is a general problem where people just walk about the town and flick their cigarette butts away but that is a problem with society. People don't see it as litter but it is litter."

Robbie Stevenson, who leads the Love Largs anti-litter campaign, is now looking to tackle the problem.

Robbie Stevenson of Love Largs anti litter campaign (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "Maybe that is another aspect for our anti-litter campaign to target cigarette butts, chewing gum etc, as the campaign has largely been projected at youths."

Secretary Linda Smith suggested bringing council street wardens to Largs to target the cigarette butt issue might be a way forward.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Environmental enforcement officers carry out periodic patrols of the Largs prom but have not reported any significant increase in this type of offence. Areas such as bus stops are furnished with waste bins to encourage positive behaviour.

“The discarding of cigarette butts would be enforced under section 87 / 88 of the environmental protection (Scotland) Act (littering). Where anyone who, throws down, drops or otherwise deposits litter will be subject to a penalty of £80.”