Signs have gone up in Dorchester town centre to highlight the number of cigarette butts being carelessly ditched on the streets.

It is part of a new campaign launched by Litter Free Dorset to get people talking about litter in efforts to create a cleaner town.

#BinYourButt, which is part of a Dorset-wide campaign, will see signs up at either end of South Street in Dorchester, stating how many cigarette butts have been swept up each week by the Keeper of the Walks.

Data from the Keeper of the Walks means that the signs can show an increase or decrease in how much litter is picked up; with the hope that the number will decrease week on week.

Litter Free Dorset battled against the winds at the launch event last week, talking to residents and visitors to Dorchester about the issue of cigarette litter.

Charlie Wild, Litter Free Dorset project officer, said: “We’ve found that very few people – both smokers and non-smokers alike – realise that cigarette filters are made up of plastic filaments. If these get out into the water system or the environment, they don’t dissolve or disappear, they merely break down into smaller pieces, releasing all of the chemicals collected in the filter.

“They also make the town look untidy – today alone the Keeper of the Walks found 261 cigarette butts. We will be updating our ‘higher or lower’ boards in South Street to let people know how many cigarette butts are being swept up each week in the hope that this figure will decrease.”

The town clerk, Dorset Highways and the Dorset Waste Partnership all came out to show their support for the campaign.

There was even a special cry from Dorchester’s very own town crier, Alistair Chisholm, with the following message: “Don’t despoil our beautiful county town by dropping cigarette butts…dispose of them properly and keep this fine town looking as fine as it should”.

As part of the campaign, Litter Free Dorset are asking businesses to show support by displaying a #BinYourButt poster in either the business window or staff room, encouraging people to use the correct bins if smoking is allowed on the establishment and handing out stubby packs – a small pouch that holds cigarette butts until you can find a suitable bin.

If you would like your Dorchester business involved with the campaign, you can get in touch with Litter Free Dorset at litterfreedorset@dorsetcc.gov.uk