The organization is currently targeting cigar tip and cigarette butt litter throughout the 63-acre Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, situated along the eastern edge of Tampa Bay.
The Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program tackles the issue by integrating the following approaches:
♦ Encouraging enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter.
♦ Raising awareness about the issue using public service messages.
♦ Placing ash receptacles at transition points, including near entrances to public buildings.
♦ Distributing pocket ashtrays to adult smokers.
“The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program has proven effective. Simple actions like installing ash receptacles and distributing pocket ashtrays have made a big difference in decreasing litter and ultimately keeping communities beautiful,” said Debra Evenson, executive director with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, in a press release. “Using this program to bring attention to the issue, we expect similar reductions in the Apollo Beach area.”
Communities implementing the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program consistently cut cigarette butt litter by half. Recent volunteer cleanup efforts in previously targeted areas have reported results showing a nearly 65 percent decrease in littered cigarette butts and cigar tips found.
According to research, tobacco products, including cigarette butts, are the most-littered item in America, representing nearly 38 percent of all items.
Research also shows that individuals who would never litter with items such as beverage cans or paper packaging may not consider tossing cigarette butts on the ground as “littering.”
Resource: http://www.tbo.com/south-shore/keep-tampa-bay-beautiful-tackles-cigarette-butt-litter-receptacle-installation-targets-problem-at-apollo-beach-nature-preserve-20160120/
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