As is the case every year, the Monaco Town Hall has joined forces with the Tourism and Convention Department (DTC) and the Monegasque Sanitation Company (SMA), with the aim of raising awareness among residents and tourists of the Principality in the fight against pollution, notably by cigarette butts.
DTC and SMA teams will therefore take turns over the coming months to continue the distribution of ashtrays in various areas of the the small seaside state.
“Through this operation which extends throughout Monaco, the Town Hall and its partners wish to raise awareness among the population of the need to keep our city clean and continue to alert them to the impact of cigarette butts on the environment,” reads a press release.
Indeed, with the proximity that the Principality has to the Mediterranean sea, it is of upmost importance to dispose of cigarette butts in an appropriate manner. A cigarette butt with a filter is toxic waste. It is difficult to collect, and difficult to recycle due to its toxicity and the low value of its material, which lead to a decomposition period of up to 10 years.