New legislation could see tobacco companies having to clean up discarded cigarette butts in South Australia or risk penalties if they fail to do so, reports The West Australian.

Following news that tobacco companies will be billed for cleaning up cigarette butts in Spain and Ireland, The Greens are introducing a bill that will see the same happen in South Australia. The legislation will go before state parliament this year and will hold tobacco companies responsible for cigarette butts discarded in public places. Greens MP Robert Simms said the move would be a first in Australia and adding that, “cigarette butts are harmful to the environment and hazardous to our health.”
“It’s time for big corporations like tobacco companies to be held to account for the damage they are doing to our environment,” he said.
According to Simms, cigarette butts were the most common item of litter found during Clean Up Australia Day events and the cost of getting rid of tobacco-related litter amounted to AUD 73 million (USD 50.4 million) every year, reports The West Australian.