Ballot Bin (a fun idea to stop cigarette litter)

The Ballot Bin began as an experiment, and has proved very successful. It sounds a bit bonkers (and even a bit gimmicky). But that’s where we are today.

If cigarettes are the most littered item on earth (and abroad, most people still smoke as a majority), then something needs to be done. And if gimmicky works, so be it!

It’s basically a litter bin for cigarette butts. But instead of just popping a butt in the bin, most people litter them, where they end up going down storm drains and into the sea.

Instead, this bin asks people fun questions, with two choices. People visit the bin to ‘vote’ by placing their butt inside. It may sound silly, but it’s resulted in huge uptake where installed. And of course this saves councils money too, as well as preventing fires.

Many big companies like IKEA (and even McDonald’s) are now installing them, to help prevent litter in surrounding areas (on private land, it’s their financial responsibility to clean it up, or they can be hit with litter abatement order fines by local councils).

The Butt Ballot Bin is just for butts, and there is also a Big Ballot Bin, where the same idea applies, but for general recycling of other goods (popular at campsites and festivals). And all profits support Hubbub, the environmental charity that is trying to tackle litter problems nationwide.

How to Use the Ballot Bin

Just install it to a wall, and it gets to work. It’s weatherproof and anti-rust, and ideal to situation in high smoking areas like outside pubs and restaurants, or at music festivals. It can be emptied with one-hand and is a bright yellow colour, so hard to miss!

Each order includes 200 magnetic letters to ‘ask questions’ and a dry-wipe marker pen, plus fixings and instructions. The steel body can be recycled at end of life (a very long time!) It has to be connected to mains power, to work.

In the event of fire, the power trips automatically to shut off. You can buy a fire-suppressing brick for £150 extra. The bin itself costs a few hundred pounds (less than clean-up costs).

To use, just create a new question using the downloadable template, place it on the metal plate and slide the plate into position.

To empty, just unlock the front door, slide out the inner caddy and replace the liner. Councils can even then sign up with Terracycle to send old butts and cigarette butts off in pre-paid boxes for recycling into industrial products.

Sample questions (most are just yes or no):