The Ballot Bin is a customisable bespoke ashtray that tackles cigarette butt litter.

Tackling litter whilst posing a question may not seem to go hand-in-hand but in just six weeks, our voting ash-tray on Villiers Street reduced the number of smokers throwing their butts on the floor by 20% and went viral, reaching 6 million people online. It has since been replicated across the world and has been proven to cut litter by up to 46%. 

We like being asked questions – it boosts morale, awakens the brain, and is much more engaging than being instructed. There has been a growing trend of online publications offering readers’ polls with the launch of Twitter polling late last year and there is a Buzzfeed quiz on every issue you can think of. The Ballot Bin taps into people’s desires to participate. The user ‘votes’ by choosing one of two slots to dispose of their cigarette butt. Each slot has a window to display the used butts, allowing a public opinion poll to be generated as the old butts pile up on either side. Magnetic letters mean you can change the question as often as you like, which means you can ask anything you want.

The voting ashtray first featured in the Neat Streets campaign to jolt people out of their normal littering routine by asking fun and competitive questions that everyone has an opinion on! Read more about how it took social media by storm with the question ‘Who’s the best footballer in the world? Ronaldo or Messi’.

The Ballot Bins are now available to order online through www.ballotbin.org.uk.