TORONTO

There are eight million cigarette butts in the naked city — or it might seem that way as the snow melts along Toronto’s streets exposing trash tossed away in the middle of winter.

Mayor John Tory said Monday that he’s noticed the butts and other pieces of litter over the last few weeks as the snow has disappeared.

“But in fairness, I’ve also noticed it every other year when the snow melts,” Tory said. “It suddenly reveals things that people have thought they could with impunity throw down on the sidewalk or anywhere by the street.

“That’s why we have a big clean-up day in April and that’s why we’ll have to sort of redouble our city efforts to clean this up.”

Tory admitted he thinks the city used to do a better job cleaning itself up after the winter.

“I think the city is a bit dirtier, I would say, than it was five years ago and that’s a trend-line you don’t want,” he said.

The mayor lamented seeing bins overflowing with garbage on city streets, particularly in the summer.

“There is no excuse for that,” he said. “Again, people are using those bins for the intended purpose and it is up to us to empty them more frequently if that’s what we have to do to make sure they’re not overflowing onto the sidewalk,” he said.

“We’ll have to clean things up and count on people to do their part, which I think they’re doing, and then count on the city to make sure, for example with the bins, that we clean that up.”

City crews don’t start the full spring clean-up until March 30 but some work has already begun.

Sweepers started hitting the streets on Monday and more are expected Tuesday to try to get a head start on the clean-up effort.

“We are well aware of what’s out there,” said Trevor Tenn, manager of road operations for transportation services.

“We are aware of it and soon as we can, we’ll get the full force (cleaning up) no later than March 30.”

Last year, the city collected 6,300 tonnes of material during the annual spring clean-up including 850 tires, 350 abandoned bicycles and 725 appliances.

don.peat@sunmedia.ca