Streets dirtier as smoking ban leads to more butts

OUR streets are dirtier because more cigarette butts are being throw on them since the smoking ban was introduced.

Campaigning group, Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), has urged local authorities to step up enforcement against people who discard butts when they leave pubs and restaurants for a smoke.

In the first major survey since the ban, the group's anti-litter league revealed 11 of the country's 30 largest urban centres have serious litter problems. Street litter has increased by 20% since the smoking ban was introduced at the end of March, the survey revealed.