Use these pocket ashtrays for your cigarette butts, says City of Vancouver

The City of Vancouver is handing out free pocket ashtrays this summer to curb the growing number of cigarette butts tossed on city streets.

Theashtrays, which resemble tiny envelopes that clasp shut, allow smokers to store their butts until they're near a waste basket and can toss them out.

Anestimated onemillion cigarette butts are discardedin the city every day,making themthe most-littered item in Vancouver.

"That number is just astronomical," Jerry Dobrovolny, the city's manager of engineering services, told reporters Wednesday.

In Vancouver, tossing cigarette butts on the ground is illegal, and can result in fines ranging from $100 to $10,000.

Cigarette butts on the street end up in waterways, where they leech toxic chemicals such as arsenic and lead, Dobrovolny said. The filters also contain microplastics, which wildlife consume.

Virtually all outdoor firesin the city are caused by improperly disposed butts, according to Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.

The city distributed pocket ashtrays last summer, but have since revamped the design, changing from a hard shell to a soft backing to make them more comfortable.

Several thousandhave been produced, ata cost of 75 cents each.

The ashtray's exterior is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate, a rubber-like material,and plastic, while the interior is made of heat-resistant foam and aluminum foil.

They'll be distributed at various outreach events throughout the summer.They're also available at the following locations:

• Creekside Community Recreation Centre
• Hastings Community Centre
• Hillcrest Centre
• Killarney Community Centre
• Kitsilano Community Centre
• Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre
• Trout Lake Community Centre
• West End Community Centre
• Vancouver Public Library - Kitsilano Branch
• Tourism Vancouver Visitor's Centre
• City Hall (main floor)
• Engineering Services Counter (5th Floor, 507 W Broadway)