Cigarettes are the most common item of litter in Ireland, the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System has found. 

According to the Department of the Environment, tobacco companies contributed €250,000 towards litter cleanups. 

However, the total cost of litter cleanups was €111 million. 

Should cigarette companies be asked to chip in a bit more in order to offset the cost of cleaning up after their customers? 

On The Hard Shoulder, Simon Clarke, Director of Forest, a group  that lobbies on behalf of smokers, said that he did not condone littering. 

“We do think smokers should behave more responsibly and, wherever possible, take their butts away with them,” he said. 

“But, I do have some sympathy with smokers because, in a great many places, there are no cigarette bins where they can get rid of their butts safely.” 

A man smoking a cigarette. Image: Jes2ufoto / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Clarke added that smokers “need to take more responsibility”. 

“I think we do have to change smokers’ behaviour a little bit,” he said. 

“The natural inclination of a lot of smokers is to drop the butt on the floor and stub it out with their foot. 

“I think it does require education but, again, I’m afraid smokers are so hitupon now by the authorities and by Government… I do think some smokers tend to get rebellious. 

“They think, ‘Sod this.’” 

According to a recent survey in Britain, where regular smokers make up only 12% of the population, cigarette butts make up 66% of all litter items. 

Main image: Cigarettes Picture by: Unsplash.com