14 no-smoking signs, yet cigarette butts still litter coffee shop’s potted plants

SINGAPORE: Despite putting up 14 no-smoking signs around its premises, a coffee shop in Beach Road continues to struggle with smokers who ignore the warnings and leave cigarette butts in its potted plants.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the coffee shop at 37 Beach Road has been dealing with the problem for some time. Besides making the place look untidy, the cigarette butts also do not decompose naturally and should not be discarded in flower pots.

When a reporter visited the coffee shop, no-smoking signs could be seen on the walls, pillars and tables. Even so, numerous cigarette butts were found scattered among the potted plants outside the shop.

Speaking to Shin Min, the coffee shop owner said there was little they could do, as the smokers were outside the premises and they did not feel they had the authority to stop them.

An employee added that the walkway outside the coffee shop is a blind spot, making it difficult for staff to notice when someone is smoking there.

One customer said that if he spotted someone smoking outside the shop, he would first inform the staff so they could speak to the person. If the problem persisted, he would take photos as evidence and report the matter to the authorities.

Smoking-related incidents have made the news before. Earlier this month, a recycling bin at an HDB block in Punggol caught fire, with a resident alleging that smokers had carelessly thrown lit cigarette butts into the bin.

Read more about the news story here.