Cigarette Litter

Most people who throw a cigarette butt on the ground really don't consider themselves littering. They don't understand that it is littering just as much as if they had thrown a bottle or piece of paper on the ground. They will probably tell you that the cigarette butt is biodegradable. Well, it is. Various sources have stated that cigarette filters will decompose within 18 months to 10 years. That's a long time to sit on the sidewalk or roadside.

Ways to help end cigarette litter

Are you a smoker?

Use ashtrays or pocket ashtrays when you are outside.
Before you begin to smoke outside, look for the receptacle you'll use when you finish smoking.
Use the ashtray in your car and don't throw butts out the windows.

Are you a business owner?

Provide employees and visitors with ash receptacles at all entrances.

July is "Cigarette Litter Prevention Month"

Keep Screven Beautiful will be promoting Cigarette Litter Prevention Month this July. Stay tuned for details!

Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP)

The KSB Board voted unanimously at the February 2008 Board Meeting to start a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP).

Program Description

The 2008 implementations will address cigarette butt litter using solutions identified by KAB research and field-testing, and detailed online at http://www.preventcigarettelitter.org/index.html

Action Items

Done	Due Date	Task	Comments/Resources
	May 1	Create a team of stakeholders. This team will be responsible for implementing the program and for online reporting of its “Cigarette Litter Scan” results for the preliminary and the follow-up scans. These must be reported no later than end-August, 2008.	Stakeholders are: Bill Revesz Beth Ward Phyllis Butts Byron Haire Joy Evans Harriett Yancey Kathy Overstreet Kathryn Youles Dale Reddick Vivian Forehand Lisa Guidos
	May 15	Set the program budget Ash trays Brooms and dust pans Advertising expenses	KSB won a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) grant. This is $1,500 plus 1,000 free Pocket Ashtrays. We also won $500 from the KGB Foundation.
	May 16	Select a team leader and outline roles for other partners.	Team Leader: Harriett Yancey
	May 23	Talk with business managers of the 4 businesses involved.	Harriett Yancey
	May 16	Select area for program launch. As a team, identify areas where cigarette litter appears to be a problem. Start in a location that matches team member strengths or where they have the most to gain from a program. For example, if most are business owners then target a downtown area as the first priority.	West Ogeechee Street going west from El Cheapo to Cotton’s Auto (left side of the road only). Includes: El Cheapo, Rite Aid, Dollar Store and Cotton's Auto.
	June 3	CLPP Meeting - Papa's Pizza at noon	CLPP Team
	June 4	CLPP Webinar - 2 pm
	June 6	Educate the team.	KAB PowerPoint presentation
	June 6	Choose and order ash trays	Less than $70 each
	June 13	Investigate local litter laws. Does one exist? Does it include cigarette litter? Is it enforced? Are businesses required to keep the area in front of their building clean? Determine a strategy for action based on answers to these questions. Screven County ordinances: http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=13593&sid=10 Sylvania ordinances: http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=12513&sid=10
	Saturday, June 7th 8:30	Conduct 1st cigarette scan Cotton's Tire & Automotive gutter - 52 sidewalk - 43 (ash receptacle provided) total = 95 Family Dollar gutter - 21 sidewalk - 168 total = 189 Rite Aid Pharmacy gutter - 27 sidewalk - 182 total = 209 El Cheapo Gas Station gutter - 91 sidewalk - 448 total = 539 Grand total = 191 (gutter) + 841 (sidewalk) = 1032	Volunteers were: Harriett Hagan-Yancey Kathryn Youles Dale Reddick Kathy Overstreet Lisa Guidos
	June 18	Register 1st scan results on KAB website	Lisa Data sheet
	June 25 10 am	Proclaim the city’s and county's fight to stop cigarette littering. The signing of the CLPP Proclamation took place Wednesday, June 25th @ 10AM. See July Is Cigarette Litter Prevention Month for more information.	Proclamation example Phyllis, Byron and Beth
	July 7	Customize media materials	Phyllis, Byron and Beth
	July 12-Aug 29	Educate the Public Publish CLPP PSA’s in local media and other settings to build awareness of the issue with people in the program neighborhood. KSB has partnered with the City of Sylvania and the Sylvania Telephone to place a full-page Cigarette Litter Prevention ad in the paper July 17th.	Downloadable resources Phyllis, Byron and Beth
	July 12	Conduct 2nd Sylvania cigarette scan Cotton's Tire & Automotive gutter - 41 sidewalk - 8 total = 49 Family Dollar gutter - 46 sidewalk - 278 total = 324 Rite Aid Pharmacy gutter - 101 sidewalk - 173 total = 274 El Cheapo Gas Station gutter - 65 sidewalk - 517 total = 582 Grand total = 253 (gutter) + 976 (sidewalk) = 1229	CLPP Team: Harriett Hagan-Yancey Beth Collins Bill Revesz Kathryn Youles Dale Reddick Joy Evans Lisa Guidos
	July 12	Register 2nd scan results on KAB website	Lisa
	July 12	Strategically install and maintain ash trays at transition points in the community.	Sylvania & Hiltonia
	July 12	Order 8 more ash trays
	July 12 - Aug 16	Observe change and assess program
	July 12	Hiltonia scan: Hiltonia Package Store gutter - 120 sidewalk - 63 total = 183 Gary's Mini Mart gutter - 46 sidewalk - 144 total = 190 Time Saver Market gutter - 39 sidewalk - 330 total = 369 Grand total = 205 (gutter) + 537 (sidewalk) = 742	Volunteers are: Harriett Hagan-Yancey Beth Collins Bill Revesz Kathryn Youles Dale Reddick Lisa Guidos
	Aug 5	Two ash receptacles were presented to the City of Oliver and placed at City Hall and the Post Office. Pocket ashtrays were left for patrons to have.	Volunteers are: Harriett Hagan-Yancey Lisa Guidos
	Aug 5	Two ash receptacles were presented to the City of Rocky Ford and placed at Clyde's Minit Market and Kyle's Country Market. Pocket ashtrays were left for patrons to have.	Volunteers are: Harriett Hagan-Yancey Beth Ward Lisa Guidos
	Aug 5	Two ash receptacles were presented to the City of Newington and placed at the BP Station and the Post Office. Pocket ashtrays were left for patrons to have.	Volunteers are: Joy Evans Harriett Hagan-Yancey Lisa Guidos
	July 12 - Aug 29	Distribute pocket ashtrays within the area of CLPP implementation to adult smokers.	? Woman's Day Out - Aug. 8
	Aug 23	Conduct 3rd Sylvania cigarette scan Cotton's Tire & Automotive gutter - ? (difference = ?) sidewalk - ? (difference = ?) total = ? (difference = ?) Family Dollar gutter - ? (difference = ?) sidewalk - ? (difference = ?) total = ? (difference = ?) Rite Aid Pharmacy gutter - ? (difference = ?) sidewalk - ? (difference = ?) total = ? (difference = ?) El Cheapo Gas Station gutter - ? (difference = ?) sidewalk - ? (difference = ?) total = ? (difference = ?) Grand total = ? (gutter) (difference = ?) + ? (sidewalk) (difference = ?) = ? (difference = ?)	Data sheet
	Aug 16	Register 3rd scan results on KAB website	Lisa
	August 29	Complete program Information about local littering laws covering cigarette butts, fines and enforcement Map of the program implementation area (in electronic format only) Copies of local news coverage, including proclamations (in electronic format only) Information about the quantity and type of Ash Receptacles purchased and where each was installed Distribution plan for Pocket Ashtrays

Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CLPP?

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is one program in KAB’s portfolio of programs designed to support local community improvement in reducing cigarette butt litter. A local “Team of Stakeholders” from businesses, government and local resident organizations uses the CLPP’s four proven solutions to reduce cigarette butt litter in their community. Based on the success in 2008 of a local implementation, the local ‘Teams of Stakeholders’ will sustain and expand their local Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

When will the local CLPP be launched?

The local programs will be launched by the local “Team of Stakeholders” within 2008. The local Team will be responsible for implementing the program and for online reporting of its “Cigarette Litter Scan” results for the preliminary and the follow-up scans. These must be reported no later than end-August, 2008.

Where will the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program be conducted?

The State Leader identified above is responsible for a minimum of six new local CLPP implementations. The community settings will be chosen by the local “Team of Stakeholders” and should be in ‘mixed-use’ areas of the community with foot-traffic. Mixed-used neighborhoods will include businesses, residences, retail & service storefronts, and government offices.

What are the components of the program?

Each CLPP implementation will include the following field-tested solutions to reducing cigarette butt litter:

Review local ORDINANCES and CODES for references to litter and specifically cigarette litter. Engage enforcement officers and magistrates of the court to gain their support of the CLPP through enforcement of these local ordinances and codes.
Publish CLPP PSA’s - public service advertising - in local media and other settings to build awareness of the issue with people in the program neighborhood.
Purchase, strategically install and maintain ASH RECEPTACLES at ‘transition points’ in the community.
Distribute POCKET ASHTRAYS within the area of CLPP implementation to adult smokers.

How will results be measured?

The local “Team of Stakeholders” will conduct two “Cigarette Litter Scans” in each community by counting the cigarette butt litter address by address at the sidewalk and the gutter, in a small area within the larger program implementation area. The local “Cigarette Litter Scan Team” may be members of the “Team of Stakeholders” or other adults in the community who support the CLPP implement. The “CL Scan Team” will follow KAB’s scan guidelines available online. The first scan will be conducted prior to launching the local program; a second scan will be conducted four to six weeks after the program has been launched. Results of each scan will be reported online and no later than end-August, 2008.

Last updated: August 14, 2008

Mission Statement

The Keep Screven Beautiful Commission encourages and educates all citizens of Screven County to end litter, minimize solid waste and beautify our county. The Commission works toward improving litter and solid waste control ordinances and seeks effective enforcement of all pertinent ordinances.

Keep Screven Beautiful

412 Pine Street

Sylvania, GA 30467

Phone: 912.564.9171

Email: Lisa.Guidos@KeepScrevenBeautiful.com