Fewer people smoking, but more butts collected: Downtown Vancouver BIA
The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association's clean-up crew focused its efforts on picking up discarded cigarette butts and collected 75 pounds' worth within the span of three weeks.
Joshua Davidson, interim director of operations for Downtown Van, said the public needs to be aware that cigarette butts can stick around for up to 25 years.
“It's not just paper. It's not just going to disintegrate with the rain. They're going to stay around,” he said. “Most of these butts end up on the floor, making our city feel not as clean, not as safe. And many end up in our water systems, into the ocean. It’s extremely toxic to aquatic life.”
The BIA did something similar in 2019, when its clean team members picked up 57 pounds' worth of butts over the course of one month.
Yet, there are fewer smokers now than before. According to the University of Waterloo, the B.C. smoking rate in 2017 was 15.6 per cent. In 2020, it dropped to 7.7 per cent.
“We need more receptacles to collect cigarette butts properly," Davidson said.
In an email to CTV News, the city said there are about 40 cigarette butt receptacles in the downtown area.
It has been piloting various bins and is continuing to test new models.
City Coun. Peter Meiszer lives downtown and fumes when he sees discarded butts.
“I find it very frustrating. I don't like seeing litter anywhere in our beautiful city and I know that it's our BIAs working as hard as they can – as well as city crews – to clean it up. But (I'm) just really, really hoping that people will take a moment, you know, have pride in our city and do what they can to ensure that it's litter free and beautiful for everybody to enjoy,” he told CTV News.
He said the city sees an annual average of 71 fires sparked by discarded butts, warning it is a fire risk, in addition to the environmental impacts.
The city is providing free pocket ashtrays at various locations to encourage smokers to keep their butts rather than throwing them on the ground.
LITTER OF VAPES GOING UP
The BIA clean team is also seeing discarded vaping material.
“Interestingly, with vaping on the rise, we're finding lots of disposable batteries and vapes. So, that's really it's creeping up behind the cigarette butts,” Davidson said. “Many vapes these days, the affordable ones are disposable, so there's no real incentive to buy it and (reuse), including adding the oil. They're just being thrown away.”
He said there may soon be a pilot program to address this issue.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.