• AS a non-smoker, I was happy to see that council contractor Veolia is trying to persuade people to stop dropping cigarette butts.

That said, I’m always frustrated that when I report a street ashtray as overflowing and request that it be emptied (via the Clean Camden app), there is never any response.

I got tired of two ashtrays near me overflowing (including one by the gents toilet at Camden Town), so I ordered the key that opens the ashtray from the manufacturer, and emptied them out myself.

As well as running cute advertising campaigns, I wish Veolia would also dispose of these butts that have been correctly disposed of – and better still, I wish they would install more ashtrays near places that see high footfall.

A few years ago, the council changed the public street bins so that they don’t have metal ashtrays on top, which further exacerbates the problem.

I believe that smokers would use ashtrays if they were provided (and not overflowing), but very often there’s none for them to use.

KRIS
NW1