The Spanish government is fuming at the number of discarded cigarette butts on beaches and streets across the country. The blame has been placed firmly at the door of the tobacco companies who will now have to pay for the clean-up operation and also provide the cash for a public information campaign on the dangers of cigarette butts to the environment.
So far the government has not said how the tobacco firms will pay but the new law will come into force this week. Already in Mallorca there are designated no smoking beaches, a trend which is expected to continue.
Spain has the largest number of smokers of any European country with 22 percent of the adult population saying that they are smokers.
The cost of the clean-up operation will be enormous with cigarette companies expected to pass on the cost to smokers.