- Professional darts player, Scott ‘Shaggy’ Williams, helps his local town tackle its cigarette butt litter problem
- Spalding has almost three times more cigarette butt litter per metre than the national average – one of the highest rates in the UK1
- In a three-month pilot programme Spalding and Keep Britain Tidy combine bold tactics to help smokers dispose of their cigarette litter correctly
Spalding is piloting a first-of-its kind anti-litter initiative to combat the country’s most pervasive – yet often overlooked – litter problem: cigarette butts. In partnership with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the town is helping its residents prevent butt litter with a bold campaign encouraging smokers to bin their cigarette butts properly, using targeted communications and behaviour-led interventions.
Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the UK – an astonishing four out of five cigarettes smoked outdoors are disposed of incorrectly2. In Spalding, where the smoking rate is more than twice the UK average, and cigarette litter on the ground is nearly three times the national figure, the town faces a unique challenge, making the need for a community-led solution critical.1
Part of the problem is that many smokers simply don’t see cigarette butts as litter – 27% of smokers don’t consider dropping their butt on the ground or down a drain to be littering.3 This compares starkly to only 6% for gum, 4% for dog waste and 8% for other general litter. With the average UK smoker smoking 10.6 cigarettes per day, even if just one is littered, that amounts to more than six million cigarette butts littered daily across the UK.4
A recent baseline litter survey conducted by Keep Britain Tidy in Spalding (May 20255) identified high concentrations of cigarette litter across the town centre, predominantly outside social venues and where people tend to gather – leading to a focused effort on collaborating with local establishments, like pubs and bars.
To make an impact, the campaign is meeting smokers where they are. With a strong local darts culture and clear links between darts and smoking (70% of darts fans are more likely to smoke every day, according to YouGov6), Keep Britain Tidy and the council are using the game as a tool to help solve the problem. Custom dartboards are being installed in participating pubs across the town, serving as a reminder for smokers to make sure they dispose of their ‘darts’ responsibly. A talking cigarette bin will also be installed in the town centre, celebrating good behaviour with audio messages like “bullseye!” when used to dispose of cigarette butts.
The campaign is supported by local darts star and 2024 World Championship semi-finalist Scott ‘Shaggy’ Williams, who’s encouraging smokers to shift their behaviour and correctly dispose of their cigarette butts.
Campaign ambassador Scott ‘Shaggy’ Williams said “I’m pleased to be playing a part in helping my local town prevent cigarette butt litter. From years playing in pubs and clubs, I know smoking and playing darts can go hand in hand and the butts are often discarded incorrectly. We need to be careful with what we’re throwing where – remember, throw darts at the board, and throw butts in the bin.”
Councillor Jim Astill, Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Governance, Communications and Environmental Services at South Holland District Council, also commented: “I’m pleased to support Keep Britain Tidy’s work in Spalding so we can work together to try and prevent littering. Cigarette butts are sadly a really common item dropped on the ground in our town, and we need to find sustainable long-term solutions to this problem. Despite the best efforts of our Street Cleansing and enforcement teams to address the impact of those who mindlessly litter in our district, we are fighting increased levels of environmental crime with less funding all the time. Working with organisations like Keep Britain Tidy will allow us to implement a unique strategy that gets to the heart of this problem.”
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy added “Cigarette butts are not just an eyesore; they are a significant environmental and economic burden. They are made of plastics and contain toxins that leach into soil and waterways, polluting our natural environment. Furthermore, local authorities across the country spend millions annually on street cleaning – we shouldn’t just keep cleaning up after people; the best solution is to stop them from dropping and leaving their rubbish in the first place, which is why at Keep Britain Tidy we’re keen to work with councils to address the issue head on through behaviour change.”
In addition to the custom dartboards and talking bin, Keep Britain Tidy and South Holland District Council will be placing branded smoking bins around town and partnering with the Job Centre and local businesses – including pubs, convenience stores, hotels, entertainment venues – to give away Butt Boxes. The town takeover will see smokers targeted with posters and signage in areas where people are most likely to litter their butts, as well as targeted radio, TV and online video advertising to reinforce the message.
This innovative, localised initiative in Spalding could serve as a vital model for other towns facing similar challenges, demonstrating how a proactive and community-focused approach can make a significant difference in tackling the UK’s most prevalent litter problem.