Island Roads has been accused of failing to help deal with marine pollution and the littering of cigarette ends which an Isle of Wight parish councillor has said “all end up in the sea”.
However, in a statement jointly agreed with the Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads said it was ‘concerned’ by the councillor’s comments which it said appear to reflect a misunderstanding of the highways service provider’s responsibilities.
Hardie: The most littered item anywhere
Last week, Councillor Rebecca Hardie told Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council,
“Cigarette ends are the most littered item anywhere.
“A lot of people don’t realise that they have got plastic in them. They think they’re just stubbing something out which is biodegradable…it absolutely isn’t.”
Complaints about Island Roads
Reporting back from a recent conference hosted by community group Planet Aware, she said everyone she spoke to at the marine pollution forum raised the same issues: a lack of bins where they wanted, being unable to have them emptied and complaints about Island Roads.
Cigarette butts can take 14 years to break down and in the process release toxins and microplastics in the environment, according to Planet Aware.
Councillor Hardie said,
“Everybody’s complaint was about Island Roads and how they don’t help at all.”
Cigarette collection box
The councillor added that she discussed the issue with the Old Fort and Seaview Yacht Club and suggested installing a cigarette collection box at the toilet block at Seagrove Bay.
Parish council clerk Brian Jennings said he would look into costs for it, put the item on the next meeting agenda.
Hardie: They wanted to do a ballot box in Ventnor, but couldn’t get permission
Councillor Hardie also mentioned another “ballot box” bin idea from Ryde Town Council where the public can vote for a series of options such as “which is the best film – Jaws, Finding Nemo” by sticking their cigarette butt in a specific section of the bin.
She said,
“They wanted to do it in Ventnor, but they couldn’t get the permissions – much of it was to do with Island Roads.”
Comments “appear to reflect a misunderstanding of Island Roads’ responsibilities”
An Island Roads spokesperson said,
“We are concerned by the councillor’s comments which appear to reflect a misunderstanding of Island Roads’ responsibilities.
“Island Roads empties bins across the Island diligently and in line with the service levels set out in our contract with the Isle of Wight Council.
“It is not within our gift to simply add more bins without the agreement and funding of the local authority.
“While we share concerns about the environmental impact of discarded cigarette ends and we routinely have to remove cigarette ends and other litter from gully water, processing it responsibly to prevent it from entering the marine environment, there is a fundamental need to address public behaviour.
“Discarded cigarette ends are an environmental littering offence. Where they become street waste there is a risk they may enter watercourse or drainage systems.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
