In order to raise awareness of the problem of cigarette butt pollution, the Riga municipality invites residents of Riga until September 16, during the “Save Our Sea” campaign, to view the traveling exposition of SIA “Zaļā josta” located in the town hall “What disappears from the eyes, does not disappear in the nature” and on the platform svesauies.riga.lv test your knowledge about the effects of cigarette butts on the environment.
Every year on August 31, Baltic Sea Day is celebrated in the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea, and the 2023 European Green Capital Tallinn, together with Helsinki and the “Let’s Do It World” World Cleanup, calls attention to the environmental problems of the Baltic Sea and gives the opportunity to those living on its shores to act on their own and clean up the Baltic seaside areas, beaches and dunes. This year, Latvian municipalities, together with the organizers of the Great Cleanup, have agreed to pay special attention to the impact of cigarette butts on the environment, especially on beaches and swimming areas.
In order to draw the attention of the citizens of Riga and also the representatives of the municipality to the pollution caused by cigarette butts, their impact on the environment and the importance of proper disposal of cigarette butts, the traveling exhibition “What disappears from the eyes, does not disappear in nature” of SIA “Zaļā josta” is on view in the building of the Riga City Council until September 16. The exhibition is located on the 5th floor of the town hall. In order to see it, residents should go to the neighborhood residents’ center, located on the 1st floor, and get a pass by presenting an identity document.
On the other hand, in order to promote the understanding of the people of Riga about the problem of cigarette butts and waste sorting, the municipality invites you to complete a knowledge test with 12 questions on the platform ervesies.riga.lv. Participants who answer all the test questions correctly will take part in the draw of three prize baskets from Riga municipality, SIA “Zaļā josta” and SIA “Getliņi EKO”. Before taking the test, we invite you to watch the “Green Belt” educational short film “Smoke Road”, which can be viewed on the organization’s YouTube account (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXDJorX9I7U).
Cigarette filters made of plastic are one of the most common sources of plastic pollution in the world. As found out in the experiment carried out by SIA “Zaļā josta”, SIA “Rīgas ūdes” and the Riga municipality in the summer of 2022, approximately 104,000 cigarette butts could end up in Riga’s rainwater sewer every day, which Riga residents and visitors to the city throw on the ground, without thinking about their impact on environment. They have a long-lasting and significant impact on nature, animals and also humans, as they do not biodegrade. Also, cigarette butts cannot be completely filtered in water treatment systems, as they break down into tiny plastic particles and inevitably end up in the sea and other bodies of water. It is safe to dispose of cigarette butts only in unsorted household waste containers and bins.
The amount of cigarette smoke pollution largely depends on people’s culture and behavior, however, smoking in bathing areas in Latvia is also restricted by regulatory acts. According to the Law on the circulation of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, electronic smoking devices and their liquids, it is prohibited to smoke in swimming pools, except for places specially designated for smoking. Such special smoking areas with metal urns for cigarette butts have so far been installed in Vecāki, Lucavsala and Vakarbulli swimming areas. This year, the municipality will create another specially equipped smoking area in the Vakarbulli swimming area.
The cities and their inhabitants in Finland, Åland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany are involved in the “Save Our Sea” campaign. Seven municipalities from Latvia have applied to participate in the “Save Our Sea” campaign: Riga, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Ventspils, Ādažu district, Talsi district and Valmiera district.
The information was prepared by: Tatjana Smirnova, project coordinator of the External Communication Department of Riga City Council, e-mail: tsmirnova11@riga.lv.
2023-09-01 07:14:21
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