The Ballot Bin originated as a one-off installation with the purpose of encouraging proper disposal of cigarette butts. Commissioned by Hubbub and Westminster Council as part of their broader Neat Streets campaign, the Ballot Bin prompts users to express their opinion on a changeable topic by placing their cigarette butt into one of two chambers.

The purpose of the installation was to highlight the significant problem of cigarette butt pollution, which incurs an annual cleaning cost of approximately £3.8M for the council (City of London). Cigarette butts account for one-third of all litter in the UK and are present on 99%*¹ of town centre streets. Retail areas accumulate four times as much cigarette litter as main roads. The Ballot Bin has proven to reduce cigarette litter on busy streets by 74%*².

Following the success of the campaign and the project "going viral", the bin underwent a redesign for mass production by Instrument PD. The updated design features a construction using powder-coated steel and reinforced glass. This Ballot Bin is now available for purchase on the e-commerce site developed and designed by Common Works. Notable customers include Sky, McDonald’s, Ikea, UCL, and H&M. Now ships worldwide.

*¹ Link, *² Link.