Powys County, Wales, UK - placing trash bins hoping smokers will dispose of cigarette butts properly..

December 7, 2010 - Powys Community Safety Partnership said there had been a "dramatic increase" in cigarette-related litter since the smoking ban in 2007. Smoke-free legislation was enforced across the United Kingdom (UK) by July 2007 (England - July 1, 2007, Scotland - March 26, 2006, Wales - April 2, 2007, Northern Ireland - April 30, 2007).

Newtown (population: 12,783) is the largest town in the county of Powys, Wales , the largest county in Wales, is in east-central Wales, bordering England. The majority of the Powys population is made up of small villages and towns. (Powys)

More than 130 cigarette bins have been bought following claims of a "dramatic" rise in smoking-related litter. The bins will be placed outside pubs, restaurants, clubs, office buildings, bookmakers and shopping centres throughout Powys. Newtown is the first town to benefit from the new bins.

A Welsh Assembly Government grant helped pay for the scheme, and the bins will be distributed to businesses in Newtown town centre. The scheme, costing £4,750 (7,502.72 USD), has been funded through the assembly government's Tidy Towns initiative.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council (Rhondda Cyon Taff is a county borough in Glamorgan, south Wales) is also cracking down on cigarette litter. The Council’s award-winning Streetcare Enforcement Team which was launched in April 2006 remains pro-active in its many initiatives to combat what has become a blight on communities everywhere. Their latest campaign is to raise awareness to the public that discarding cigarette butts can result in a £75 (118.55 USD) fine or worse if it results in a Magistrates’ Court hearing. (Cigarette Litter Crackdown Launched, WelshIcons.org.uk, 6/27/2010)

Reference: Bins tackle smoking litter rise in Newtown, BBC, 12/6/2010.