MALVERN motorists are being warned throwing their unwanted cigarette ends out of the window could hit them in the pocket.
Drivers are being reminded that dropping or throwing a cigarette on the road, pavement or other public land is littering and could result in a £75 penalty charge notice.
The warning comes after a member of Malvern Hills District Council’s ‘Street Scene’ team recently caught two women drivers tossing their unwanted cigarette butts out of the window in separate incidents.
The first happened on October 7 last year in Church Street while the other was on November 17 last year in Worcester Road.
Both were issued with a £75 fine which was later reduced to £50 as both accepted they had broken the law and made an early payment.
Cigarette ends, followed by sweet wrappers and matchsticks, are the most commonly found items of litter.
An estimated 122 tonnes of cigarette butts, matchsticks and related litter is dropped every day across the UK.
Not only do they fall in-between cracks in pavements and gather in gutters, they also are not biodegradable meaning they pose a significant environmental issue.
Coun Bronwen Behan, portfolio holder responsible for Environment on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “Many people may not be aware that this simple action is actually illegal, environmentally damaging and spoils the appearance of one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
“We take all littering seriously and hope this acts as a warning to others to dispose of their litter properly. You do not need a special bin for your cigarette ends, any normal litter bin will do, just make sure it is properly extinguished first.
“Our message is simple – bin your butt and help keep Malvern Hills District clean and tidy.”