Swim between the cigarettes
Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 8:10 pm
Swim between the cigarettes
By NICOLETTE BURKE Local Government Reporter
May 19, 2004
THIS is the extraordinary picture that shows why Sydney councils are moving to ban smoking on our most famous beaches.
A problem, no ifs or butts . . . Waverley Council’s Emily Scott with her pile of cigarette butts yesterday. Pictures: JEFF DARMANIN
Just a day after Manly became the first council in Australia to institute a ban, Bondi last night was also set to go cigarette-free.
As Waverley Council met to vote on the ban, Warringah, Pittwater and Randwick councils indicated yesterday they would also consider adopting bans in their areas, which would see every beach north of Botany Bay go smoke-free.
Yesterday, Waverley Council's environmental services manager Emily Scott conducted a random test for The Daily Telegraph on Bondi Beach in which a two metre square patch was cordoned off, and the sand removed and sifted to a depth of 10cm.
In this small area, 61 cigarette butts in various stages of decay were discovered and removed.
If this figure were averaged out across the beach, there would be around 1.8 million cigarette butts sitting in the sand at the 980m-long Bondi Beach.
"The [cleaning] truck only came over the beach at midday, and at 4.30pm, we've picked up 61 butts," she said.
Manly and Waverley councils will rely on the goodwill of smokers to follow the rules, even though it may take some months before the ban can be enforced.
"You'd be seen as a bit of an idiot if you did smoke when you weren't meant to," Waverley Mayor Peter Moscatt said.
"It's like not picking up after your dog. People have no problem coming up to you and telling you what they think.
"We see people using the beach as an ashtray. But it's hard to go around to people and say, 'You shouldn't be smoking here' unless there is some regulation to back you up."
Manly Mayor Peter Macdonald said the council was not yet sure how fines would be imposed, but the issue was being investigated.
Difficulties arise because responsibility on the beaches is divided between local and state government -- and the separation line is the constantly shifting high water mark. The proposals will go out to the public for comment over the coming weeks.
By NICOLETTE BURKE Local Government Reporter
May 19, 2004
THIS is the extraordinary picture that shows why Sydney councils are moving to ban smoking on our most famous beaches.
A problem, no ifs or butts . . . Waverley Council’s Emily Scott with her pile of cigarette butts yesterday. Pictures: JEFF DARMANIN
Just a day after Manly became the first council in Australia to institute a ban, Bondi last night was also set to go cigarette-free.
As Waverley Council met to vote on the ban, Warringah, Pittwater and Randwick councils indicated yesterday they would also consider adopting bans in their areas, which would see every beach north of Botany Bay go smoke-free.
Yesterday, Waverley Council's environmental services manager Emily Scott conducted a random test for The Daily Telegraph on Bondi Beach in which a two metre square patch was cordoned off, and the sand removed and sifted to a depth of 10cm.
In this small area, 61 cigarette butts in various stages of decay were discovered and removed.
If this figure were averaged out across the beach, there would be around 1.8 million cigarette butts sitting in the sand at the 980m-long Bondi Beach.
"The [cleaning] truck only came over the beach at midday, and at 4.30pm, we've picked up 61 butts," she said.
Manly and Waverley councils will rely on the goodwill of smokers to follow the rules, even though it may take some months before the ban can be enforced.
"You'd be seen as a bit of an idiot if you did smoke when you weren't meant to," Waverley Mayor Peter Moscatt said.
"It's like not picking up after your dog. People have no problem coming up to you and telling you what they think.
"We see people using the beach as an ashtray. But it's hard to go around to people and say, 'You shouldn't be smoking here' unless there is some regulation to back you up."
Manly Mayor Peter Macdonald said the council was not yet sure how fines would be imposed, but the issue was being investigated.
Difficulties arise because responsibility on the beaches is divided between local and state government -- and the separation line is the constantly shifting high water mark. The proposals will go out to the public for comment over the coming weeks.
