One of the great scourges to the Tidy Towns enthusiast is the cigarette butt and it comes as no surprise this week that the large volume of butts to be found in areas of Fermoy may well jeopardise the town’s chances in the anti-litter stakes.

While most areas in Fermoy are generally clean, up to 41 butts were counted in one particular area with only two areas having no cigarette butts or litter. Overall, more than 2,000 butts were counted in the town.

Fermoy has enjoyed a very high anti-litter ranking and it is a great shame to see the town slip through the negligence of smokers. A call has been made for business people to work with the council to install bins for cigarettes outside their premises.

In many towns an villages, cigarette butts represent the greatest negative impact. As the summer progresses, people are urged sweep outside their shops, businesses and homes and to make sure that every scrap of litter is removed.

This week sees the launch of the Mitchelstown Enhancement Awards and an appeal is being made to the local residents in the town to become involved and help make their particular area a more attractive place in which to live. Get those around you motivated and the results can be astounding!