The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) has joined forces with seven New South Wales councils to urge smokers to “bin their butts” this summer as the bushfire season approaches.
A University of Technology Sydney (UTS) study, in collaboration with Fire and Rescue NSW and CSIRO, found that in dry, hot, and windy conditions, one in three discarded cigarette butts can ignite grassy fuel.
Made of plastic, cigarette butts don’t biodegrade and persist in the environment for years.
If these butts are littered, they often wash into stormwater drains, releasing toxic chemicals into local creeks and rivers, where they harm aquatic life.
Littered butts can also cause roadside fires which cause traffic congestion and delays while firefighters battle to control them.
The councils of Hawkesbury, Blacktown, Cumberland, Liverpool, Fairfield, The Hills Shire, and Parramatta are urging residents to take responsibility.
Brad Bunting, WSROC President, said roadside fires caused by discarded cigarette butts remain a serious concern.
“Every year, fire brigades respond to hundreds of roadside fires caused by cigarette butts littered from vehicles,” said Bunting.
“Fires sparked by littered cigarettes can spread quickly, endangering homes, lives, and wildlife.
“Since 2020, Fire and Rescue NSW has attended around 200 roadside fires caused by cigarettes annually. Alarmingly, this spiked to 300 fires last year.”
Littering cigarette butts is an offence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and the Rural Fires Act 1997.
If a lit cigarette is discarded during a Total Fire Ban, offenders face fines up to $11,000.
Bunting said drivers can use a cupholder ashtray to store butts when driving and then bin butts responsibly when arrived at the destination.
“These ashtrays are affordable and available at most bargain stores,” said Bunting.
“If you see someone litter a cigarette butt or any other item from a vehicle, report it to the NSW EPA via the ‘Report to EPA’ website. Fines will be issued.”
For more information and to file a report, epa.nsw.gov.au
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