SMOKERS have been told to Bin the Butt after it was revealed that 588 wheelie bins full of cigarette ends get littered across the county every year.

Cigarette filters contain plastic and are comprised of thousands of chemical ingredients, including arsenic, lead and nicotine, all of which are highly toxic to fish and other marine creatures.

As part of the campaign Wiltshire Council is giving away free pocket ashtrays where people can put out their cigarettes and store until they get home or can throw it away.

In Wiltshire, 89kg of smoking-related waste is dropped as litter daily.

Bridget Wayman, cabinet member for highways and waste, said: “We spend £2.8m annually picking up litter, and a significant portion is spent cleaning up smoking-related rubbish. This money would be better spent on vital services, such as protecting the most vulnerable in our communities. Anyone caught throwing litter in our beautiful county could be issued with a fixed penalty notice and a £150 fine.”

To get help to stop smoking visit:

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/public-health-stop-smoking