Woman Fined For Dropping A Cigarette in Ammanford

A woman has been fined £75 for dropping a cigarette end in Ammanford town centre.

Council environmental enforcement officers were on patrol in the area at the time of the offence near Shoppers World.

When asked why she had dropped it onto the ground, she said there was nowhere to put it, despite there being a bin less than 10 metres away.

The 38-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in court and a fine of up to £2,500.

Latest figures show that around 80% of litter found on Carmarthenshire streets is smoking-related.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Cigarette ends are one of the most common types of litter found on county streets. They are also one of the most difficult and expensive to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed by normal cleaning methods.

“Hopefully this fine will help to raise awareness of the problem and deter people from dropping this type of litter.

“Our enforcement officers carry out regular patrols across the county and we will not hesitate to fine anyone we see dropping litter.

“The council is determined to clean up Carmarthenshire for both residents and visitors.”