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To raise public awareness about the harmful impact of cigarette butts on the environment and to promote responsible waste management, Ltd. “Zaļā josta” is launching a new environmental initiative in Liepāja within the framework of the European Union's LIFE integrated project “Waste To Resources Latvia - boosting regional sustainability and circularity”.

As part of this pilot project in Liepāja, three thematic environmental installations will be set up—cigarette butt disposal infrastructure that combines informative materials about the environmental impact of cigarette litter with functional ashtray bins. These installations will be placed in high foot-traffic areas to ensure maximum engagement from residents and visitors.

“With this initiative, we not only want to talk about the issue but also visually demonstrate how important every individual's choice is—whether a cigarette butt ends up on the street or in a bin. Changing habits begins with awareness, and that’s the main goal of this project,” emphasizes Māra Grants, LIFE project manager at Ltd. “Zaļā josta.”

The purpose of the installations is not only to draw attention to the scale of pollution but also to educate the public about the fact that a single cigarette butt can pollute up to 100 liters of water and remain in the environment for years, causing harm to nature and animals.

The installations will be placed at three different locations where significant cigarette butt pollution has been observed. Prior to installation, monitoring was conducted in these areas to identify the most suitable spots with the aim of influencing public behavior regarding cigarette waste. The environmental objects will be located at the end of Vaiņodes Street, the end of Roņu Street, and at Atmodas Boulevard 21. The objects on Vaiņodes and Roņu streets will be placed seasonally - during the swimming season from May 15 to September 15 - while the installation on Atmodas Boulevard will be permanent.

Work on installing the first environmental object will begin on May 6, 2025, at Atmodas Boulevard 21. Based on a cooperation agreement between Ltd. “Zaļā josta” and the Liepāja City Municipality for the establishment of cigarette butt disposal infrastructure, the installations will remain in the designated locations in Liepāja for five years.

Additionally, responding to an invitation from the Liepāja City Municipality, Ltd. “Zaļā josta” participated in an informational seminar on April 10 about the issue of cigarette butt pollution in the city, during which the public was informed about the goals of the initiative.

This activity is part of the broader LIFE Waste To Resources IP project, which aims to promote waste reduction, sorting, and sustainable resource use throughout Latvia.

Additional Information:

This activity is being implemented under the LIFE integrated project “Waste To Resources Latvia - boosting regional sustainability and circularity ” (LIFE Waste To Resources IP, LIFE20 IPE/LV/000014) and is supported financially by the European Union's LIFE program and the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia. The main goal of the project is to reduce the volume of waste by introducing new material circulation measures and minimizing the environmental and carbon footprint of the economy, fully implementing the actions set out in the National Waste Management Plan for 2021–2028.