THREE people have been fined for dropping cigarette ends.
Council environmental enforcement officers have issued fixed penalty notices for littering to a man in Cross Hands Business Park, a woman in North Dock, Llanelli and a man in Parc Trostre.
Officers were on patrol in the areas at the time of the offences.
If they fail to pay the fixed penalty notices they could be prosecuted in the magistrates court and fined up to £2,500.
Figures show that around 80% of litter found on Carmarthenshire streets is smoking-related.
Cigarette ends are also very difficult and expensive for the council to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed by normal cleaning methods.
Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We have carried out a number of awareness-raising campaigns on smoking-related litter; but if people do not take any notice we have no choice but to take action.
“Hopefully these latest fines will help to get the message across and deter people from dropping this type of litter in the future.”
