Campaign takes off

“Ashtrays to go” for a clean city of Graz

Both young and old can make their contribution to a rubbish-free Graz.(Bild: Foto Fischer, Graz)

The city of Graz is declaring war on litter: A campaign including "ashtrays to go" aims to avoid litter before it has to be laboriously swept off the streets. Everyone can and should take part.

Plastic bottles, handkerchiefs and chewing gum: there is a lot on the streets and green spaces of Graz that doesn't belong here. The reason for this is the careless handling of garbage - which the city of Graz now wants to do something about. The "Graz, stay clean!" campaign aims to protect plants, water and soil, as well as human health. The sad leader when it comes to littering: cigarette butts.

Hard work due to minor carelessness
An impressive 5.3 billion cigarette butts are disposed of improperly in Austria every year, according to a Vienna study. It takes almost 15 years for a cigarette butt to decompose. "We have a lot of littering around bus stops in particular. And this is despite the fact that all litter garbage cans are equipped with ashtrays. For smokers, it's just a few steps that they have to take. For us, it takes hundreds of cost-intensive hours to remove this waste," says Burkhard Steurer, Head of Urban Space.

Deputy Mayor Judith Schwentner (The Greens) cleaning the banks of the Mur last year.(Bild: Foto Fischer, Graz)

1700 tons of garbage are collected annually by 20 sweepers and 20 washing vans from Holding Graz. This not only means tedious work, so-called "littering" is also punishable by law. As an administrative offense, it can be punished with up to 1000 euros, says Christopher Lindmayr, Head of the Waste Management Controlling Department.

The "ashtrays to go" will soon be available in tobacconists in Graz.(Bild: Foto Fischer, Graz)

Ashtrays to go" are to provide a remedy. From the beginning of May, 10,000 of them will be distributed at the 84 tobacconists in Graz. "Every cigarette butt, no matter how tiny, has a huge impact on the environment and on our coexistence. Ultimately, we all have an overall responsibility and that's exactly what we want to remind people of over the next few weeks," says Deputy Mayor Judith Schwentner (The Greens). One opportunity to get active yourself is at the Graz Murufer clean-up on Saturday, May 4 - meeting point at 9.30 a.m. in Augartenbucht.