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Posts with term Cigarette Recycling Program X

Solving The Cigarette Butt Problem: A Community Effort

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program

Part two of a continuing series

Sixty-five percent of all cigarette butts are littered and 38 percent of all roadway litter is made up of tobacco products, according to Keep America Beautiful. After Residents Forward collected 1,521 cigarette butts within six blocks surrounding Main Street one Sunday morning last year, the environmental nonprofit knew it needed to look for a solution. So, Residents Forward joined with TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, to collect and recycle cigarette butts throughout Main Street. The cigarette recycling pilot is the newest initiative of the “Give a Litter Bit” campaign, and engages both the Town of North Hempstead and the Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District (BID). Residents Forward funded the purchase of six cigarette butt receptacles that were placed near the LIRR, Town of North Hempstead officials have agreed to hang them throughout Port and the BID will work with Spectrum Designs to empty the receptacles. The collected cigarette butts will then be shipped to TerraCycle for recycling. “We hope the Litter Bit cigarette recycling pilot spreads awareness that cigarette butts are litter too,” said Betsy Liegey, executive vice president of Residents Forward. “By working together, we can make it easier to keep our downtown clean and protect our bay.” “Cigarette butts strewn on our sidewalks detract from the inviting shopping and strolling experience our local businesses count on,” said Mariann Dalimonte, executive director of the BID. “We are proud to sponsor the emptying of these receptacles along with other programs to keep our streets clean, including our Keep Port Clean team that operates April through October.”
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But how are these cigarettes recycled? Once the cigarette butts are collected and shipped to TerraCycle, the butts are aggregated and stored in a local warehouse where they are prepared for processing. The residual tobacco and paper are separated out and composted while the filter, which is made of a white synthetic fiber called cellulose acetate, is thoroughly cleaned, melted and pelletized using a method called extrusion. The pellets are then combined with other plastics such as polyethylene or polypropylene and used for new plastic products such as ashtrays, shipping pallets or plastic lumber. Once the receptacles are in place, TerraCycle Strategic Partnership Manager Brian Hanck explained that studies have shown an almost immediate 9 percent drop in the general vicinity and, over time, about a 50 percent reduction in cigarette butt litter. However, he explained, these numbers are tied to how many people are smoking in the area and the volume at which they smoke. “Most of the time, smokers don’t have a location to put their cigarette butts in,” said Hanck. “And smokers are mindful of where they put them. They don’t want it to catch fire in the garbage. It’s best to educate smokers on proper disposal rather than litter.” Hanck said the best way to ensure the greatest reduction is when receptacles are placed at almost every transition point, which are points in which the smoker may pause, which include outside of restaurants or bars, at street corners, bus stops and parking garages. While the pilot program will last a year, Executive Director of Residents Forward Mindy Germain said, “Our goal is to expand. We use data from our clean ups to identify problem areas. As we expand, we will continue to place receptacles in these problem areas.” Hanck explained it’s important for areas like Port Washington to implement the cigarette butt receptacles because the hamlet sits on the water. “The town is always looking for new initiatives to protect our bay and safeguard our drinking water,” said Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “With the help of our volunteers, TerraCycle’s cigarette recycling program can help keep our streets clean while preserving the habitats of local wildlife.” For more information about TerraCycle, visit www.terracycle.com.
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Local smokers have less excuse than ever to litter butts

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program
Butt bins
Smokers strolling down Court Street likely have noticed new cigarette butt receptacles installed uptown.
For those who haven’t, the city recently installed 12 new containers through a Keep America Beautiful grant program, bringing the city’s total to more than 60 containers, Athens Mayor Steve Patterson confirmed last Wednesday.
Keep America Beautiful (KAB) grant funds, provided through the organisation’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, also partially funded the first batch of 52 cigarette butt bins placed last year on Court Street, which were painted by Passion Works, Patterson said Friday. A grant from the Athens County Foundation also helped fund the initial, more artistic bins, he said.
In December, 2018, Gary Chancey of Keep Southeast Ohio Beautiful (KSOB), a regional affiliate of KAB managed by the Wayne National Forest, reached out to the city of Athens and other KSOB participants (including the small southeast Ohio cities of Ironton, Logan and Nelsonville) to notify them of the opportunity for more bins, Patterson said.
“We put together a real brief grant proposal,” Patterson said, and “two months later” the bins were here and ready to go. They arrived and were placed uptown last month.
Since the Passion Works project that decorated the first batch of bins was funded by additional grant monies, Patterson said the new bins will not be painted, as the most recent grant didn’t include the costs for such a project. Patterson said he does plan to place on the new bins stickers that were used on the previous decorated bins to notify pedestrians of their purpose. The stickers read: “RECYCLE BUTTS HERE.”
The new containers are black and more slender than the decorated ones, making them less conspicuous. Patterson said he hopes adding the larger stickers “will make them pop” in lieu of colorful paint.
Despite what people may think, cigarette butts are mostly made of a plastic called celulose acetate and therefore take a long time to decompose — anywhere from 18 months to 10 years, according to one study published in 2015.
Once the butts are collected, they are placed in shipping containers and sent to a company called TerraCycle, Patterson said. TerraCycle has a program by which those butts are sterilized, melted down, and converted to plastic material that can be used for other things, “like park benches,” for example, Patterson explained. According to the program’s website, there is no cost to join and participate in the butt-recycling program.
According to Patterson, 62 pounds of cigarette butts had been collected from the bins by fall of 2016. In 2017, that number went up to 70 pounds and last year, 192 pounds of cigarette butts were collected. (City employees Colton James and Dane Coger, who installed the bins, are responsible for emptying the bins, as well as much of the city’s landscaping work).
With the new bins in place, a cigarette butt receptacle can be seen on nearly every lamp post uptown, increasing the convenience for smokers to properly dispose of the butts.
“I expect, once again, a large jump in cigarette butts collected” this year, Patterson said.
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Couple contributes 5 new trash cans and almost 20 years of service along the Pico Promenade

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program
FALLBROOK – Not everyone in Fallbrook knows about the four blocks of scenic pathways that run between Elder and Fallbrook streets, just west of downtown Main Avenue. This unique stretch is named the Pico Promenade by locals as the pathway heads south from where South Pico Avenue ends at Elder Street.   Although not known to all, every foot of the Promenade is well-known to Jean Dooley, who has been picking up trash and helping to beautify the stretch for almost 20 years.   Dooley volunteered initially at the request of the Fallbrook Village Association, which was looking for volunteers to pick up trash around town. That was back in 2000.   "The first thing I asked for were trash cans," Dooley said when asked about her long time service, "as there were none in place at the time."   The trash cans were installed.   For years she, along with her previous baby sitter cleaned the paths, but after her sitter moved away in 2003, Dooley's husband Jim took her place, working with her to pick up trash and empty the trash cans.   During that time, care for the Pico Promenade was adopted by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, which along with Save our Forest, various Eagle Scouts and other interested citizens and students added and painted benches, installed decorative fencing, replaced plants and signage and continued to fight to eliminate graffiti. In 2014, their dog Durango joined the team.   In early March, Dooley managed the installation of five new trash cans funded through a grant received by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance. The heavy duty trash cans are constructed of heavy steel and were ordered with a protective cover to keep rainwater out and trash in.   Dooley and her "team of two" pick up trash along the pathway, including cigarette butts and empty all the trash cans. They place the collected trash in a trash bin provided at no cost by EDCO Waste and Recycling.   The collected cigarette butts are added to those that smokers disposed of in the cigarette recycling unit located next to one of the benches, also provided by the FBA.   Once a month, Dooley packages all the collected cigarette butts in a box which she mails to Terracycle Recycling Company to be recycled into a variety of industrial products such as plastic pallets, and where the remaining tobacco is composted.   Brad Urqhart, owner of Fallbrook Fertilizer Feed and Farm Supplies that is adjacent to the Promenade, helped Dooley get the new trash cans installed.   "Mr. Urqhart accepted the delivery of the trash cans and kept them safely on his property until the installation was scheduled," Dooley said.   Jean and Jim Dooley said they felt that three of the five old trash cans that were removed may have some life in them so the cans were donated to the Fallbrook Land Conservancy which was able to collect them from the Farm Supply store. Urqhart agreed to dispose of the remaining unusable cans as part of his company's trash collection.   Jean Dooley complimented Urquart, saying, "He has been a wonderful supporter. He donates water to Save Our Forest group for the plantings along the pathway, provides the loaner cart we use when picking up trash and took care of all our needs with the installation of the new trash cans."   Although the Dooleys said they welcome any volunteer help, they are committed to the ongoing project.   "Our family, (two sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sister-in-law and nephew) all have special T-shirts and help us with the Pico pickup when they visit during the holidays," Jean Dooley said.   FBA's next project is to raise money to install additional cigarette butt recycling units and pet waste stations. If anyone is interested in helping the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance to maintain and beautify Fallbrook's public spaces, they can visit http://www.fallbookbeautificationalliance.org. Submitted by Fallbrook Beautification Alliance.
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TerraCycle partners With Residents Forward to recycle cigarette butts in Port Washington

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program
TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, has joined forces with Residents Forward, a grassroots community organization dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of Port Washington, to collect and recycle cigarette butts throughout the city’s Main Street area. An event to formally announce the initiative will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 9 A.M. in the parking lot of Port Washington’s LIRR station at 60-62 Main St. “The town is always looking for new initiatives to protect our bay and safeguard our drinking water.” Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said. “With the help of our volunteers, TerraCycle’s cigarette recycling program can help keep our streets clean while preserving the habitats of local wildlife.” The cigarette recycling pilot is the newest initiative of the “Give a Litter Bit” and “Clean Green Main Street” campaigns and engages both the Town of North Hempstead and the Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District in the waste collection process. Residents Forward funded the purchase of the cigarette butt receptacles, while the Town of North Hempstead officials have agreed to hang them throughout Port Washington and the BID will be working with Spectrum Designs to empty the receptacles. The collected cigarette butts will then be shipped to TerraCycle for recycling where they will be separated by composition, melted into hard plastic and remolded for use in new products like shipping pallets. “We hope the Litter Bit cigarette recycling pilot spreads awareness that cigarette butts are litter too,” said Betsy Liegey, executive vice president of Residents Forward. “By working together, we can make it easier to keep our downtown clean and protect our bay.” Implementation of the pilot initiative will see six cigarette collection receptacles mounted near the railroad station along the town’s highly trafficked Main Street. In addition to the use of these receptacles, the “Give a Litter Bit” campaign asks community members and groups to take steps to reduce litter, including securing garbage bags during curbside pick-up, volunteering for litter-removal efforts, recycling through the town’s program and  organizations like TerraCycle, and spreading the word on social media. “Cigarette butts strewn on our sidewalks detract from the inviting shopping and strolling experience our local businesses count on,” said Mariann Dalimonte, executive director of the Greater Port Washington BID. “We are proud to sponsor the emptying of these receptacles along with other programs to keep our streets clean, including our Keep Port Clean team that operates April through October.” TerraCycle has collected hundreds of millions of cigarette butts globally. Additionally, through its various recycling programs, it has engaged over 200 million people across 21 countries to collect and recycle more than eight billion pieces of waste that were otherwise non-recyclable.  
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Going…Going…Green!

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program
It is not every day that you receive an invitation to write a monthly column on a subject matter dear to your heart. And so, it is with gratitude, that I submit my first piece concerning an environmental issue which the Town of Middleburg has recently addressed, namely that of the blight of used cigarette butts.
As the Town Council representative on the town’s Go Green Committee, I work with a devoted group of stakeholders who care deeply about the state of our ecosystem, sustainability, and smart energy production and consumption.
During one of our biannual town cleanups, we were shocked and saddened, and then motivated by the volume of used cigarette butts which had been discarded in the streets – that is to say motivated to find a way to permanently eliminate, or at least reduce significantly, this affliction to our pretty streetscape.
Go Green Committee member, Lynne Kaye, who is also CEO of the Unison Advisory Group, took up the mantle and looked into how we could safely dispose of the butts we had amassed, and continue to do so going forward. During her investigations, Lynne discovered many things about cigarette butts of which most of us are ignorant. For example, they contain 165 toxic chemicals; each filter is made up of 10,000 plastic filaments; when it rains, butts flow into the town’s drains and on into creeks and rivers, and ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay, while en route infesting our groundwater with these hellish toxins. One can only imagine where those chemicals end up.
She learned of a company called TerraCycle, which specializes in various types of recycling. They operate a program whereby anyone, be it a municipality like ours or simply a private steward of our surroundings, can collect and ship, for free, any number of cigarette butts to their facility. Once there, TerraCycle strips down the butts with the plastic components being recycled into plastic for use in industrial products, while the tobacco remnants are composted through a special composting technique.
First, however, we needed to find a way to reliably collect the used cigarette butts, and deter smokers from disposing of them in the street in the first place. The solution was a used cigarette butt receptacle which could be attached to the town’s trash cans, and be as attractive and discreet as possible, yet obvious enough that smokers would use them. The committee reviewed several different types and styles, ultimately bringing its preferred version to the Town Council for approval, following which 17 were purchased.
Our town maintenance manager, Tim Cole, then set about painting all 17 to match the trash cans and devised a way to securely attach them.
Tim has observed a startling reduction in the number of cigarette butts which find their way onto the streets, particularly at known hot spots where folks tend to sit down and enjoy Middleburg’s daily comings and goings. He now regularly empties the receptacles into secure containers which are then shipped via UPS to be TerraCycle for recycling.
In a world where bad news dominates, it’s delightful to report on a truly positive program and a healthy outcome. But, there is more to do, much more, so please watch this space!
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EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

TerraCycle Include USA Cigarette Recycling Program
Animal shelters and homeless shelters need certain items, but you must follow strict guidelines before donating in order to avoid imposing disposal costs on worthy organizations and taking their staffs’ time.
Specifically, some “used” items can be donated to homeless shelters, but only in new, unopened condition. For example, the free toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste you received from your dentist following a cleaning can be donated, but only if it is still sealed in packaging. Similarly, if you did not open the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion and shower cap in your hotel room, donate those, too.
Used clothing is almost always better donated to a thrift store than a shelter; however, shelters generally can accept used, freshly cleaned sweatshirts, hoodies, and sweat pants. Similarly, donating used shoes imposes a burden on shelters, but one related item frequently discarded by everyone is desired by homeless shelters. Used, cleaned shoelaces can be donated to a homeless shelter.
Prior to delivering donations, call the Oxnard shelter directly at 805-247-0335. The shelter currently hosts over 100 people, has limited staff and organizes many activities, so they are not able to carefully screen donations or give tours.
Donations of used blankets and towels are welcomed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter. The shelter, in Camarillo, is collecting materials to meet the needs of the 500 animals being hosted. People can drop off items at the shelter: 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.  The shelter is closed on Mondays, but people can also drop off items from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Mondays if they are unable to come during open hours, according to Jennifer Thaler, Supervising Animal Control Officer.
Other items seemingly unrecyclable and not reusable can be given a new life through mail-in recycling programs. One surprising reusable item is used mascara wands. The Appalachian Wildlife Refuge uses these to clean animals in distress. The tight bristles enable volunteers to remove oil, larvae, fly eggs, mites and mud from rescued wildlife. The brushes also work great for animal medical care and wound treatment, according to the organization’s website. The refuge asks donors to clean used mascara wands with liquid soap, place wands in a clean plastic bag and mail them to P.O. Box 1211, Skyland, NC, 28776.
Terracycle provides sponsor-subsidized mail-in recycling programs for products ranging from Burt’s Bees “lip care products” to Solo cups. Additionally, Terracycle has many non-sponsored programs. For example, for $102, you can purchase a small shipping box (11 in. x11 in. x20 in.) and a postage-paid return shipping label to send Terracycle your used chewing gum. According to Brian Hanck, a Terracycle spokesman, “Chewing gum is made from polymers, which are synthetic plastics . . . The . . . gum is sanitized and blended, then converted into plastic pellets. These specific plastic pellets are usually used in creating new products made of rubber or plastic.”
Among other items, the company also has mail-in recycling programs for coffee capsules, pens, plastic gloves, detergent booster pouches, ready-made pasta bags, contact lenses and the blister packs containing the lenses.
Locally, the Surfrider Foundation participates in Terracycle’s mail-in program for recycling cigarette butts, the most common form of litter. Through its “Hold On To Your Butt” campaign, the city and Surfrider have purchased and installed 103 metal containers in areas where cigarette butt litter was common, despite a city ordinance banning smoking in public areas. Volunteers empty approximately 4,000 butts per month from these receptacles; combined with the butts they collect from beach cleanup events, they have sent over 270,000 butts to Terracycle in a little over two years, according to Juli Marciel, Surfrider’s coordinator for the program. A bench made from cigarette butts is on the Ventura promenade next to the pier.
For more information, visit www.terracycle.com/en-US/. Additional items needed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter can be found at www.vcas.us/amazonwishlist. Additional items needed by the Oxnard Homeless Shelter include a large coffee pot, microwave oven and heavy-duty three-prong extension cords. Before delivering, call 805-247-0335.
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EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT | Odd items can be reused or mailed for recycling

TerraCycle Solo Include USA ZWB Cigarette Recycling Program Burt’s Bees
Animal shelters and homeless shelters need certain items, but you must follow strict guidelines before donating in order to avoid imposing disposal costs on worthy organizations and taking their staffs’ time.   Specifically, some “used” items can be donated to homeless shelters, but only in new, unopened condition. For example, the free toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste you received from your dentist following a cleaning can be donated, but only if it is still sealed in packaging. Similarly, if you did not open the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion and shower cap in your hotel room, donate those, too.   Used clothing is almost always better donated to a thrift store than a shelter; however, shelters generally can accept used, freshly cleaned sweatshirts, hoodies, and sweat pants. Similarly, donating used shoes imposes a burden on shelters, but one related item frequently discarded by everyone is desired by homeless shelters. Used, cleaned shoelaces can be donated to a homeless shelter.   Prior to delivering donations, call the Oxnard shelter directly at 805-247-0335. The shelter currently hosts over 100 people, has limited staff and organizes many activities, so they are not able to carefully screen donations or give tours.   Donations of used blankets and towels are welcomed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter. The shelter, in Camarillo, is collecting materials to meet the needs of the 500 animals being hosted. People can drop off items at the shelter: 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.  The shelter is closed on Mondays, but people can also drop off items from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Mondays if they are unable to come during open hours, according to Jennifer Thaler, Supervising Animal Control Officer.   Other items seemingly unrecyclable and not reusable can be given a new life through mail-in recycling programs. One surprising reusable item is used mascara wands. The Appalachian Wildlife Refuge uses these to clean animals in distress. The tight bristles enable volunteers to remove oil, larvae, fly eggs, mites and mud from rescued wildlife. The brushes also work great for animal medical care and wound treatment, according to the organization’s website. The refuge asks donors to clean used mascara wands with liquid soap, place wands in a clean plastic bag and mail them to P.O. Box 1211, Skyland, NC, 28776.   TerraCycle provides sponsor-subsidized mail-in recycling programs for products ranging from Burt’s Bees “lip care products” to Solo cups. Additionally, TerraCycle has many non-sponsored programs. For example, for $102, you can purchase a small shipping box (11 in. x11 in. x20 in.) and a postage-paid return shipping label to send TerraCycle your used chewing gum. According to Brian Hanck, a TerraCycle spokesman, “Chewing gum is made from polymers, which are synthetic plastics . . . The . . . gum is sanitized and blended, then converted into plastic pellets. These specific plastic pellets are usually used in creating new products made of rubber or plastic.”   Among other items, the company also has mail-in recycling programs for coffee capsules, pens, plastic gloves, detergent booster pouches, ready-made pasta bags, contact lenses and the blister packs containing the lenses.   Locally, the Surfrider Foundation participates in TerraCycle’s mail-in program for recycling cigarette butts, the most common form of litter. Through its “Hold On To Your Butt” campaign, the city and Surfrider have purchased and installed 103 metal containers in areas where cigarette butt litter was common, despite a city ordinance banning smoking in public areas. Volunteers empty approximately 4,000 butts per month from these receptacles; combined with the butts they collect from beach cleanup events, they have sent over 270,000 butts to TerraCycle in a little over two years, according to Juli Marciel, Surfrider’s coordinator for the program. A bench made from cigarette butts is on the Ventura promenade next to the pier.   For more information, visit www.terracycle.com/en-US/. Additional items needed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter can be found at www.vcas.us/amazonwishlist. Additional items needed by the Oxnard Homeless Shelter include a large coffee pot, microwave oven and heavy-duty three-prong extension cords. Before delivering, call 805-247-0335.  
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City to install receptacles to collect cigarette butts for recycling

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Cigarette Recycling Program
The City of Kingston is installing 20 receptacles designed to collect cigarette butts so they can be recycled.   "We are working to keep the downtown and transit hubs clean. This is about encouraging people to dispose of cigarette butts in a tidy and environmentally friendly way," says Troy Stubinski, manager, public works operations.   The City and Downtown Kingston! have partnered on a number of efforts to keep the downtown tidy as part of the "Keep it Clean" initiative.   The TerraCycle cigarette disposal receptacles will be placed at transit hubs and certain Express Route stops and gathering places in the downtown.  Once collected, the remaining tobacco will be composted and the butts will be recycled into a variety of industrial products, such as plastic pallets.   Find out more about TerraCycle's cigarette waste recycling program.    
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