CIGARETTE butt disposal bins are being trialled as part of a crackdown on litter being dropped across Colchester city centre.
The six week pilot initiative aims to cut the amount of rubbish left on pavements and roads outside pubs and clubs.
The new bins will be placed outside The Centurion, Walkabout, Atik, Three Wise Monkeys, Yates and The Playhouse.
There are further plans to install others bins outside After Office Hours and Camulodunum in High Street.
The action follows research which found smokers who drop their cigarette butts often justify their action by claiming there is not enough bins to correctly dispose them in.
Concerns about a fire risk if discarded in a standard litter bin were also raised.
Colchester Council’s waste chief Martin Goss said: “Cigarette butts are the most common item of litter found on our streets, which not only make an area look unpleasant but are time-consuming and expensive to clean up.
“We understand that people want us to tackle litter, and this is why we're trying a range of initiatives including more cigarette bins, education and enforcement.”
The pilot is funded by Keep Britain Tidy ‘More Bins’ and aims to tackle a perceived lack of bins head on by installing them in key locations where butts are dropped during the night time economy.
A Colchester Council spokesman said they will be monitored to determine the scheme’s success.
He added: “These figures will be fed back to Keep Britain Tidy as part of the pilot scheme. If successful, the council plans to work with other hospitality venues to increase the number of bins.
“This is just one of the initiatives the council and its partners are running to help tackle litter in Colchester, to ensure a welcoming environment for all who live in, work in and visit the city.”
The initiative comes after the council hired litter enforcement officers who can fine people they see dropping rubbish in the city centre.
They are able to give individuals suspected of littering a £150 fixed penalty notice.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here