First published on Monday 06 January 2003:
Colchester: New ashtray set to clean up town
Smokers in Colchester could soon get the chance to dispose of their cigarette butts in an environmentally conscious way.
Colchester Council's waste department has pledged its support for new personal ashtrays which it hopes to start promoting soon.
The idea is that smokers use the ashtrays instead of dropping cigarette ends on the streets, saving the council thousands of pounds in clean-up bills.
The ashtrays, supplied by BUTTsOUT UK, based in Colchester, are small, plastic and can be clipped to a belt or carried in a hand bag.
Smokers extinguish cigarettes in the box when out and about and empty them in a bin or at home.
Chris Dowsing, waste policy manager for Colchester Council, said: "We have only talked briefly with the company but it is a good idea and we hope to promote the ashtrays with things like posters."
Colchester MP Bob Russell also supports the idea.
The ashtrays are already on sale at Colchester United Football Club and could be making their way to high street shops soon.
BUTTsOUT UK director, Eric Pennyfather, explained there are about 20,000 smokers in Colchester each smoking about 16 cigarettes a day.
Published Monday, January 6, 2003
Brought to you by the Evening Gazette
Colchester
