Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Thursday reported a 79 percent reduction of cigarette butts in targeted areas within State Parks participating in the 2017 Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

With a grant received from Keep America Beautiful this spring, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has continued their work with the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in six Pennsylvania State Parks, including Cooks Forest, Clear Creek, Kinzua Bridge, Maurice K Goddard, Ohiopyle and Raccoon Creek.

The Program consists of an initial scan or count of cigarette butts, the installation of cigarette butt receptacles and a follow-up scan and final scan of cigarette butts.

The combined initial scan of targeted areas resulted in 4,566 cigarette butts. The first follow-up scan produced 966 cigarette butts, a reduction rate of 79%. Final scans are scheduled for May 2018. 

The targeted areas were determined by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Park Rangers based on their maintenance observations. Target areas or “transition points,” are usually places where smokers must stop smoking before proceeding.

“Cigarette litter is a distraction from the natural beauty of Cook Forest and Clear Creek State Parks.  The receptacles provided through the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program dramatically reduced cigarette litter at both parks.  Less cigarette litter also enables the park’s maintenance staff to dedicate their time towards other priorities.” Jessica Stewart, Assistant Park Manager, Cook Forest and Clear Creek State Parks.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful provided the State Parks with educational materials, pocket ashtrays, and bucket or car ashtrays that are available to park visitors at Ranger Stations and park offices.

Cigarette Litter Prevention signs, Swivel-lock Wall Mount Ashtrays and stand-alone receptacles were placed at the targeted areas throughout the CLPP program areas at each park. Maintenance of the ash receptacles is done by the park maintenance staff when trash receptacles are emptied.

“The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is a proven tool to address the number one littered item in America. Thanks to Keep America Beautiful, we can continue to invest in this highly effective program,” explained Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “We are fortunate to also have the support from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Park personnel and community volunteers who carry out the programs.”

Tobacco products, consisting mainly of cigarette butts, are the most littered item in America, representing nearly 38 percent of all items littered, according to "Litter in America," Keep America Beautiful’s landmark study of litter and littering behavior.

Research has shown that even self-reported “non-litterers” often don’t consider tossing cigarette butts on the ground to be "littering." 

Keep America Beautiful has found that cigarette butt litter occurs most often at transition points—areas where a person must stop smoking before proceeding into another area.  These include bus stops, entrances to stores and public buildings, and the sidewalk areas outside of bars and restaurants, among others.

The "Guide to Cigarette Litter Prevention" provides information about starting and maintaining a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in any community.

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is supported by funding from Philip Morris USA, an Altria company; RAI Services Company; and the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s new Electronics Waste website.

NewsClips:

Litter Prevention Program Cuts Butts At Ohiopyle, Raccoon Creek Parks

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[Posted: Oct. 5, 2017]

10/9/2017