On December 17, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced the successful implementation of the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program at 17 service plazas across the state with a $20,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful. 

The program began with a scan, or physical count, of cigarette butts and other tobacco related products littering each service plaza.

Seventy ash receptacles were installed at the entrances to buildings and other transition points.

Two additional scans were performed, with a final reduction rate of 43% after implementing the program for 8 months.

Educational messaging about the consequences of cigarette and other tobacco related litter was displayed at the participating service plazas.

“We are thankful for our partnership with Keep PA Beautiful and eager to see the results that are already occurring at our service plazas along the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” said Keith Jack, Director of Facilities Operations and co-chair of the Turnpike’s Sustainability Committee. “We look forward to continuing to raise awareness of the environmental impact from cigarette butt litter through educating the 550,000 daily users across our system. We will continue to help others understand their individual responsibility for proper waste disposal, including properly disposing of their cigarette butts, and the impact that can have on their community."

The program partners with TerraCycle to recycle collected cigarette butts, turning waste into reusable materials.

The filters are melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled industrial products, such as plastic pallets. The residual tobacco and paper are separated out and composted in a specialized process.

"Providing ash receptacles and educating the public are effective strategies to combat the most common type of litter,” said Shannon Reiter, President, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.  “We are proud to collaborate with the PA Turnpike Commission to reduce cigarette butts and tobacco product litter by 43% at these 17 service plazas.

“The program significantly reduces the amount of cigarette litter in public spaces, increases awareness of proper disposal and improves disposal habits. These efforts help save costs associated with maintenance of public areas.”

According to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s 2019 Pennsylvania Litter Research Study, over 500 million pieces of litter were found on Pennsylvania’s roadways. Of the total estimated litter, 186.2 million or 37.1 percent were cigarette butts. 

Cigarette butts that are thrown on the ground can contaminate soil and ground water with chemicals and heavy metals; fatally impact birds, animals and marine life who often mistake them for food; and the filters, made of cellulose acetate, never fully disappear from the environment.

To find out more about the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program webpage or contact Michelle Dunn, Program Coordinator, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org. 

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

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

Related Articles:

-- PA Resources Council Announces Winners Of 2024 Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest  [PaEN]

-- Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, PA Turnpike Commission Celebrate Success In Reducing Cigarette Litter At 17 Service Plazas  [PaEN]

-- Reminder: Keep PA Beautiful Accepting Nominations For Litter Hawk Youth Award Thru January 31  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- WPXI: PA Turnpike Says New Program Successfully Reduced Cigarette Litter At Service Plazas

-- Centre Daily Times: Know The Myths And Realities Of Recycling In Centre County

-- NPR: Scientists Know Our Bodies Are Full Of Microplastics; What Are They Doing To Us?

[Posted: December 17, 2024]

12/23/2024