"A Single Flower Stronger Than Crackdowns"... 'Flower BAT' Campaign Stops Cigarette Butt Littering

Approaching Illegal Dumping Issues in Urban Areas Through Spatial Improvements
Establishing 50 Flower Beds Across Seoul by This Year

Since 2022, BAT Rothmans has been conducting the 'Flower BAT' campaign, which transforms alleyways in Seoul that are repeatedly the subject of illegal dumping complaints by replacing trash with flowers and flowerpots.

BAT Rothmans employees are taking a commemorative photo after the 'Flower BAT' campaign planting event. [Photo by BAT Rothmans]

The Flower BAT campaign is based on resident participation from the stage of site selection. In the early stages of planting, BAT employees and the Korea Nature Conservation Union work together to clean up the area. Afterward, local governments, merchants, and residents take responsibility for watering the flowerbeds and maintaining the surrounding area. In some alleys, the flowers have become a focal point for the formation of small communities. It is often observed that residents voluntarily gather collected trash in one place or divide the area in front of their shops into sections for management.

In the alleys where the campaign has been carried out, the number of cigarette butts and trash being discarded has noticeably decreased, and the number of areas that remain clean even with less frequent maintenance has increased. Residents voluntarily water the plants and look after the surroundings, so the flowerbeds are maintained without the need for regular inspections. This is a structure that leads to voluntary participation rather than one-sided maintenance. There have also been changes in the local business environment. Merchants have reported that as the street environment has improved, the area in front of their shops has become brighter and the amount of time that foot traffic lingers has increased.

By last year, BAT Rothmans had established Flower BATs in a total of 40 locations, and this year plans to add 10 more, bringing the total to 50 sites across Seoul. According to the Korea Nature Conservation Union, as the positive response to last year's Flower BAT installations has spread, requests for additional installations have continued to come in through local governments and community groups.

Employees are directly involved in the creation process. At the Flower BAT planting event held in April, about 100 BAT Rothmans employees participated in cleaning up the Sindang-dong Maul Madang area and creating approximately 130 flowerpots. After the event, the flowerpots are being placed sequentially in pre-designated locations such as illegal dumping zones by the union, and maintenance is being carried out in connection with the local environmental management system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.