17 December 2004

A ban on smoking on Waverley beaches came into effect today, reducing littering on the beach and improving the marine environment.

The Mayor of Waverley, Cr Peter Moscatt, said that cigarette butts had become a significant litter problem on our beaches and it is estimated that there are 700,000 cigarette butts on Bondi Beach at any one time.

7.25 billion cigaretts butts are littered by Australia's 3.7 million smokers every year.

This means that one in three of all cigarettes smoked in Australia end up as litter.

"Cigarette butts take many years to break down and can harm sea life," said the Mayor.

"We will be implementing an education campaign and sending a clear message to beach-goers that to protect the environment, we don’t want people to smoke on our beaches.

"I have been contacted by many Waverley residents who are supportive of Council’s decision to implement a ban and I am sure that the vast majority of beach-goers will obey the signs and refrain from smoking on the beach," said the Mayor.

The implementation of the prohibition follows a Council decision in September to ban smoking on beaches after the consideration of legal advice. Council has the power to implement the ban under the Local Government Act which permits councils to prohibit activities on beaches by installing notices.

Signs around the beaches have been modified and facilities are available for smokers to dispose of their butts before entering the beach.

Additional Council rangers will patrol the beaches during summer, but this season the focus will be on education rather than enforcement and people caught smoking on the beach will be warned. Those who continue to smoke will receive a fine.

Prohibiting smoking on beaches is one of several actions Waverley Council is taking to improve the coastal environment. Council has recently purchased a new beach rake and tractor that effectively sifts small pieces of litter (such as cigarette butts) from the sand. Council also runs a number of programs to raise awareness of the impact that littering has on stormwater quality.

"The combination of the prohibition on smoking, new beach cleaning equipment and stormwater education campaigns will, in time, all help to make our becahes cleaner," added the Mayor.