Vancouver unveiled new cigarette-collecting receptacles, or "Butt Bins", as they're labelled, this month in an effort to keep Vancouver's streets clean and move the city closer to its Greenest City 2020 Action Plan goals. Smokers will be encouraged to dump their cigarettes in the fire-proof bins so they can be properly recycled and prevent environmental damage.
The Cigarette Waste Brigade pilot project will have 110 new bins installed along several blocks in Vancouver, including in the Davie Village. The main areas that this program covers are the West End, Downtown Vancouver, Robson and Gastown, but the city is hoping to expand the project across Vancouver and to over 2000 receptacles in the future.
"It’s about how you take a very toxic piece of waste and turn it into something useful," deputy Mayor Andrea Reimer said. "Ultimately, we would like to see everything that is on our streets or waste products in our city, whether they’re in homes, businesses or on the streets, turned into something useful."
Cigarette waste is one of the most dangerous and prevalent problems our environment faces, with an estimated 3.5 trillion butts thrown out annually. That equates to about 768 million kilograms of toxic waste that is not properly disposed of.
What do you think of this new pilot project? Let us know on Twitter or follow us on Facebook for more updates.