While no cigarette is fire safe, new safety standards mandating the introducing of 'reduced fire risk cigarettes' came into effect on 23 March. All cigarettes manufactured in, or imported into, Australia on or after that date must be reduced fire risk cigarettes. From 23 September 2010 all cigarettes supplied in Australia must be reduced fire risk.
According to ACCC's Product Safe Australia website, it's a myth to think that smoking reduced fire risk cigarettes will stop fires caused by cigarettes. "The fact is that reduced fire risk cigarettes can still cause fires. Smoking reduced fire risk cigarettes only reduces the risk and does not eliminate it. Always put out a lit cigarette responsibly and dispose of it so that it does not create litter of the risk of fire" Product Safe Australia went onto say.
Recent research commissioned by Butt Free Australia confirmed that a discarded butt being responsible for causing a bush fire was one of the top three reasons, along with a small child putting a butt in their mouth and the idea that a butt could be easily washed into waterways, that would motivate a butt litterer to change their behaviour. So the message is clear, reduce fire risk cigarette or not 'PLEASE BUTT IT, THEN BIN IT'.
Blog: 19 April 2010
