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More bins to be installed to cope with increased cigarette litter 

The Department of Health (DOH) is working with local authorities to have more cigarette bins installed in public outdoor spaces, in light of the recent increase in cigarette litter following the enforcement of an indoor smoking ban in the country, a DOH spokesman said Thursday.

According to Wang Che-chao, head of the DOH's public relations office, it appears that street cigarette bins are in higher demand now that smoking is forbidden in indoor public areas such as restaurants and KTV parlors.

Under the ban, such public establishments are not allowed to provide ashtrays for customers.

"In the past, smokers could have taken their live cigarette butts into a restaurant and dumped them in an ashtray, but now they have to find a place outside," Wang said.

However, he stressed that the move to install more bins should not be seen as encouraging smoking, as is a transitional step to help smokers adapt to the newly instituted ban.

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