Gold Coast City Council rejects cigarette butt garden gnomes amid littering debate

A bunch of bold garden gnomes have been given the boot from the Gold Coast’s parks and gardens. Now their owner is trying to find them new homes.

AN eco warrior is looking for foster gnomes for 20 of these critters after they were banned from the city’s parks and gardens..

Chantal Clarke says the ornaments, supplied by a giant hardware chain and decorated by Year 8 students, were designed to encourage smokers to stamp out their butts instead of flicking them on to the ground.

Ms Clarke, who leads regular community clean ups around Varsity Lakes and Robina, said she collected 2260 cigarette butts littered outside offices near Lake Orr in just one morning recently.

She said the rising number of cigarette butts was particularly concerning given the city’s severe fire danger.

Ms Clarke said she had wanted to donate the gnomes to the city as a “cost-affordable” solution and claimed while council was initially supportive of the project, it had now threatened legal action if she planted them in public areas.

“We had been speaking with council administration about the project … they had contacted me, and they were very positive about it, then suddenly it all changed,” she said.

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The garden gnomes are in the market for a new place to live. Picture: Two Llamas Environmental & Social Projects Facebook

“I received a call asking to take down a Facebook post I’d made that said it was great that council was keen to be involved.

“They claimed the gnomes may be used to dispose of sharps (syringes) … or they may be stolen,” she said.

Chantal Clarke with one of the gnomes at Varsity Lakes. Picture: Tim Marsden

“Bunnings were really great in supplying the gnomes and the kids fundraised during the term to buy the materials.”

The ashtray gnomes have been black-listed from the city’s public spaces. Picture: Two Llamas Environmental & Social Projects Facebook

Asked if or why it opposed the project, a council spokeswoman said the “unauthorised placement of this equipment without approval could constitute a breach of the city’s Local Law Number 9”.

“Installing a facility without the necessary permit could result in a fine (of) $665,” the spokeswoman said.

Ms Clarke hoped Coast businesses would adopt a gnome and give it a home on their property.

“The filters aren’t biodegrable and they leach massive toxins – put one cigarette butt in a litre of water and within 96 hours any fish in that water will die, the birds eat them, and it’s disgusting to see,” she said.

Ms Clarke hopes the 20 gnomes can be adopted free of charge by local businesses. Picture: Tim Marsden

Ms Clarke said a lack of suitable rubbish bins was contributing to the problem and was eager to see more disposal options for smokers.

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“Few bins on the Coast have the special cigarette tray on top, and speaking to smokers they are concerned that if they throw their cigarettes in the bin it might start a fire,” she said.

“If people have short smoko breaks they say they don’t have time to find a bin … having these receptacles works.”

To adopt a garden gnome, contact the Two Llamas Environmental and Social Projects’ Facebook page.