The Municipality of The Hague has launched the campaign ‘Put it out, throw it in’. (Maak ’m uit, gooi ’m in). Stickers have now been placed on waste bins, signs on the street (milk paint), and additional facilities for cigarette butts have been installed throughout the city, such as ashtrays attached to waste bins and, as an experiment, ashtray tiles at a few locations. With these measures, the municipality aims to make it as easy as possible for smokers to put out their butts and throw them directly into the waste bin, so that filters do not end up on the street, in green areas, or in the water.
“Cigarette butts are small, but the environmental damage caused by butts ending up on the street is significant. We want to make it as easy as possible for residents and visitors to dispose of their butts properly. That is better for the city and for the environment ,” says Alderman Arjen Kapteijns.
The campaign focuses on behavioral change: cigarette butts do not belong on the street. Stickers with the slogan ‘Put it out, throw it in’ are appearing on waste bins throughout the city. Milk paints on the sidewalk direct smokers to the nearest waste bin. Additional facilities are being installed in areas where many cigarette butts are found, such as busy pedestrian routes, bus stops, and hospitality zones. The municipality is deliberately choosing ashtrays attached to waste bins as the most accessible solution.
Cigarette filters are still one of the most commonly found forms of litter. Especially in busy areas, butts often end up next to waste bins, and rain washes microplastics and harmful substances into the sewer system and surface water. The campaign and the additional facilities are intended to break this pattern.
“ Leiden University appreciates the efforts of the Municipality of The Hague to reduce pollution caused by cigarette filters in the city, including around educational buildings. We actively appeal to our students and staff regarding their responsibility for a smoke-free entrance and preventing litter and pollution on the streets. Together with the municipality, we are working towards a clean, pleasant environment. This joint step helps to curb a persistent problem ,” says Kim Duistermaat, Director of Campus The Hague at Leiden University.
In addition to its commitment to a smoke-free generation, the municipality emphasizes that cigarette filters pose a significant environmental problem. The Hague therefore advocates for a European ban on filters so that pollution is tackled at the source. The campaign aims to take immediate action against the pollution caused by filters, while simultaneously working on structural solutions. The results of the campaign and the experiment with ashtray tiles will be included in the progress report of the Waste Action Plan 2026.
Text & Images: Gemeente Den Haag
Translation to English: The Hague Online