Port Eynon latest to go smoke-free
A THIRD beach on Gower is to go smoke-free.
Port Eynon is the third beach in Swansea to join the smoke-free beaches campaign, aimed at protecting local wildlife and the environment from the harms of cigarette waste.
Langland Bay and Caswell Bay are already signed up to the campaign, as is Little Haven in Pembrokeshire.
The new smoke-free initiative has been spearheaded by tobacco control charity ASH Wales, a charity which raises awareness of the harms of tobacco in Wales.
The charity has worked closely with Swansea Council, which has shown support for the initiative.
From this month visitors to the beach will be encouraged to not smoke via a voluntary no-smoking initiative, which will be signposted at the beach’s main entry points.
Anne Ellsmore, owner of local business The Seafarer, said: “Any initiative to limit the amount of cigarette litter on our beach is a good thing, and will make it a nicer place to visit for tourists and locals alike.”
Last year, ASH Wales conducted a survey to measure local public opinion on the smoke-free initiative.
The survey revealed that 92% of participants were supportive of Port Eynon becoming smoke-free.
Ash Wales CEO Suzanne Cass said: “We are delighted that Swansea Council have taken proactive steps in protecting the coastline, which will aid wider efforts to create a greener and more sustainable Wales.
“The smoke-free initiative will encourage visitors to think about how cigarette waste can affect the environment and the wildlife that call the coastline home. I would encourage other councils across Wales to consider how they too can make a difference.”
The initiative follows the latest annual survey from the Marine Conservation Society, which found Welsh beaches held the highest amount of cigarette litter in Britain last year.
It found an average of 64.2 cigarette butts per 100 metres of Welsh beach in 2021, a rise from 9.5 in 2020 and 32.6 in 2019.
Cigarette butts take up to 12 years to break down and as they do they leach nicotine and heavy metals before turning into microplastic pollution.
Studies have shown that cigarette butts contain approximately 4,000 harmful chemicals, which can ultimately seep into the environment.
A Swansea Council spokesman said: “The council fully supports initiatives to protect the coastline for residents, visitors and for future generations to come.
“We hope the voluntary initiative will encourage visitors to take the small steps needed to make a big difference in protecting our environment.”
■ To find out more about Smokefree Beaches, visit: www.ash.wales