More bins to be installed to cope with increased cigarette litter

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.

"In the future, as people start smoking less, there would not be such a problem," he said.

He said that in addition to helping to prevent littering, the cigarette bins will also serve as a reminder for smokers to put out their cigarettes before entering no-smoking areas, thus enhancing public awareness of the ban.

The ban, which took effect Jan. 11, is considered as a major step by Taiwan toward its goal of becoming a smoke-free country.

Over the past two months, however, there have been public complaints about increased cigarette butt littering outside no-smoking premises and about passersby's exposure to second-hand smoke.

Under the terms of the ban, smoking is not allowed on public transport or in the indoor areas of most public premises, including roofed transport stations, KTV parlors, Internet cafes, comic-book stores and offices manned by three or more people.

Smoking in prohibited areas can result in fines up to NT$10,000 (US$295) for the offender and the NT$50,000 for the owner of the establishment.

The new law requires that prominent "no smoking" signs be posted at the entrances of such establishments, and allows for fines of up to NT$30,000 against owners who fail to comply.

Vendors are not allowed to sell cigarettes to persons under 18 years of age, to display cigarettes on shelves that are accessible to consumers, or to place cigarettes in automatic vending machines.

These offenses can result in fines of up to NT$50,000.

Cigarette advertisements and cigarette promotional activities are also banned, with the fines for violations set at a maximum of NT$500,000 for vendors, NT$25 million for cigarette companies and NT$1 million for the advertising media.

In the first month after the ban took effect, 76 offenders were fined, including a betel nut vendor in Taichung City who copped a NT$100,000 penalty for offering free cigarettes to customers.

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