Installation in Macquarie and Talbragar streets of 40 new bins for cigarette butts and signs urging smokers to respect the environment has got the thumbs up from Keep NSW Beautiful.

Applause from the not-for-profit charity follows its advice to NSW citizens to heed the messages of the latest state government Hey Tosser! anti-littering campaign on radio and television.

NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman has been promoting the campaign aimed at changing the attitude that "dropping rubbish is OK".

"Social research has found that people are less likely to litter if they think someone is watching, and are worried about the public judgement and disapproval if they are caught," he said.

Up to $350 million is spent on litter services in NSW annually because its citizens inappropriately discard 25,000 tonnes of rubbish.

Keep NSW Beautiful estimates that a 40 per cent reduction in littering is required to snare the title.

Chief executive officer David Imrie and Minister Speakman have singled out cigarette butts as a major target.

"In NSW cigarette butts are the most commonly littered item, making up 35 per cent of all litter," Mr Speakman said.

"Across Australia 7.2 billion cigarette butts are estimated to be littered each year."

Mr Imrie said cigarette butts remained the "largest and most persistent problem" for behaviour-change campaigns.

"Any successful campaign to tackle the problem must address this issue directly, as Dubbo City Council has through their proactive Bin Your Butts and Bat for the Macquarie River campaign," he said.

"By investing in public education and introducing infrastructure in the form of cigarette butt bins and signage the council is sending a clear message to the community that littering is completely unacceptable. We commend their efforts."

The government has committed $20 million to the fight against litter for the four years to 2017.

Hey Tosser! complements other anti-litter initiatives including the government's plan to introduce a container deposit scheme, fines for littering from motor vehicles based on public reports and grants to councils and community groups.

Mr Imrie warned that fines for littering "now average $200".

"After a revision of litter laws earlier this year, anyone can dob in a litterer through the NSW EPA Enviroline or on their website," he said.

Since the installation of the new bins and signs, Dubbo City Council reports of a significant increase in smokers disposing of their cigarette butts responsibly.