Designated smoking areas on campus are a haven for smokers, but they are sometimes littered with cigarette butts and trash.
Even though ashtrays and trash bins exist, some students, faculty and staff said smokers throw their garbage on the ground.
Mike Planton, associate director for landscape and environmental management, said Ball State's designated smoking areas are cleaned once a week. During that time, cigarette butts pile up on not only ashtrays, but on the ground as well.
Shannon Rhinehart, a cashier at the Atrium, said she is thankful of the designated smoking areas, but they are dirty.
"Smoking areas on campus are hidden and are dirtier than other places on campus," she said.
She said although she always throws her cigarette butts in the ashtrays, she notices more people tend to litter around the designated smoking areas.
Freshman zoology major Shelby Vermillion said she thinks common courtesy is the first step toward a cleaner smoking area.
"Maybe if more people threw away their cigarette butts away [the areas would be cleaner]," she said. "Also if they could power-wash the area, that would be great as well."
Rachel Spudic, Residence Hall Association public relations director, said she thinks the more people use the smoking areas, the more unkept they are.
She said although she doesn't relate to people who smoke, students disrespect smoking areas with constant littering of cigarette butts and other garbage.
She said a possible solution to the uncleanliness would be to implement litter policies and make smokers respect the designated areas.
Planton said he used to be a smoker himself, and by experience knows the habits of smokers.
"My opinion of smokers, they don't use ashtrays," he said. "They throw things everywhere."
He said while he is able to put in more ashtrays on designated smoking areas, no one has requested them. And although signs encouraging people to not litter could be put up, Planton said he does not think they're effective.
"I can guarantee you that if we put up signs around the Atrium," he said, "that there'll still be cigarette butts on the ground."
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