Eliminate Cigarette Litter

During the summer of 2007, PRC assisted five Pennsylvania communities in their efforts to curb cigarette litter as part of a nationwide pilot of the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program developed by Keep America Beautiful (KAB).  PRC manages one of Pennsylvania’s regional KAB affiliate offices, and thus was recruited to coordinate the statewide pilot for Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

KAB’s research has shown that “cigarette litter is a real challenge for communities across the U.S.  Lack of awareness, lack of ash receptacles, and ordinances that move smokers outdoors all increase cigarette littering. Individuals who would never litter beverage cans or paper packaging typically do not consider tossing cigarette butts on the ground as littering.”

Cigarette litter is not only a beautification issue; it is also an economic and environmental one.  It costs 9 times more to collect cigarette litter than other trash.  Furthermore, cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, which can take many years to decompose.  These filters are designed to collect toxins from cigarette smoke and these toxins can leach into the soil and wash into our drinking water resources.

The communities that partnered with PRC to participate in Pennsylvania’s statewide prevention program pilot were: Whitemarsh Township and the Ardmore Business District in Montgomery County; Media Borough in Delaware County; and the South Side Neighborhood and Squirrel Hill Business Districts in Pittsburgh.  Through grants from KAB, these communities were able to place 81 cigarette ash receptacles at strategic “transition points “ – places where smokers are most likely to need to extinguish their cigarettes. 

With the goal of increasing the public’s awareness of cigarette litter while significantly reducing the amount of cigarette litter in local neighborhoods, the prevention strategies also included distribution of pocket ashtrays to smokers, review of the communities’ litter ordinances, and signage and press releases to remind smokers to properly dispose of cigarette filters.

The pilot study involved an initial survey of the existing cigarette litter in front of each address within the study areas.  After the ash receptacles and other strategies had been in place for a period of time, the survey was repeated.  PRC is happy to report a significant decrease in the number of cigarette butts – up to 46% -- at the end of the test period.

Pennsylvania communities that would like to learn more about the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program can visit www.kab.org or contact PRC’s offices for information.