From PreventCigaretteLitter.or
An outdoor ashtray can have a huge impact on a common misconception when it comes to the state of litter in America.
Why? Because most people don't realize that discarded cigarette butts are the No. 1 source of litter. If you think about the number of smokers out there and how easy it is to toss a finished smoke, it starts to make sense. But did you know that discarded butts are nearly DOUBLE the next closest source of trash? DOUBLE. That includes every McDonald's wrapper and empty Mountain Dew bottle and a million other disposable items.
Those little burned down cigarettes are contributing in a major way to making part of your local park, shopping area, university, etc. into an eyesore.
According to Keep America Beautiful, Tobacco Products accounted for 37.7% of litter. Paper Products came in second at 21.9% followed by Plastic at 19.3%, Metal - 5.7%, Glass - 4.5% and then Organic - 4.2%.
Here's another common misconception. Many smokers reported to researchers that they considered cigarette butts to be bio-degradable. Not so.
Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a type of plastic that does not degrade quickly at all. Cigar tips are mostly plastic and last a long, long time as well.
How do we fix this problem? More awareness and more outdoor ashtrays
Outdoor ashtray and trash receptacl
Alright, we don't need to beat up on smokers. As research shows, most don't realize the impact of discarded cigarettes. Another impediment is the trend that auto manufacturers now practice where they don't include ash trays in cars.
What we can do to alleviate this problem is to make smokers aware of the impact and to provide more places for them to dispose of their cigarettes in the proper manner.
We're not just saying this. This is what Keep America Beautiful has to say.
"Sixty-three percent of cigarette butt littering is attributable to individual motivations," KAB reported. "Mostly it's lack of awareness about the environmental impact and insufficient ash receptacles."
The great thing about this problem is that, unlike say, growing icebergs in the Artic or stopping hurricanes, the steps we can take as a nation are very simple.
One of them is to provide more outdoor ashtrays or ash receptacles. (Disclosure: yes, we at The Park Catalog do sell these products, along with several other companies).
According to KAB, for every additional ash receptacle in an area, the littering rates for cigarette butts drop 9%. Add a handful of outside ashtrays and bam, major source of litter gone.
Here's a key point. You have an outdoor trash can and you have an outdoor ashtray. They are not the same.
For example, with an outdoor ashtray, there are user-friendly designs that entice smokers to discard their cigarettes. The receptacle might have a tall, easy-to-reach self-extinguishing tower or a receptacle with a top filled with sand. This sends a signal to smokers that it is okay to throw your butt in there.
Outdoor garbage cans, however, could be filled with paper or other burnable items. Responsible smokers know NOT to throw their cigarettes in there. So they are doing a good thing by not setting the place on fire.
The smart move is to give smokers a safe alternative.
Another factor is to place an outdoor ashtray at what the KAB calls "transition points." These are strategic areas where a smoker is more likely to put out a cigarette. For example, it could be the entrance to an office building or a store. Same with hotels or beaches, bus stops, roadside rest areas, parking lots, train platforms. The perfect location for a cigarette butt receptacle.
When you place these outdoor ashtrays abundantly in key areas, why not include a gentle nudge in the form of a message to smokers that this is the proper place for your cigarette butt? Many will oblige, given the opportunity.
If your building, shopping center or park seems to be experiencing a large number of discarded cigarettes on the ground, run a campaign to inform people how those filters don't decay right away and encourage them to use the right ash receptacle. Start a group to let others know this is a priority for the area.
There is a real cost to cigarette butt litter
Sure, a bunch of old cigarette butts lying on the ground is not a pleasant sight. But there's a greater issue here.
First of all, there is the cost of cigarette disposal. Picking up and removing the litter. Somebody's got to do it. It might be a private maintenance crew for a commercial facility or workers at a park. But there is a cost. And we all pay it.
Secondly, the according to their research, the KAB estimates litter in a community can decrease property values by as much as 7%. Seven percent! Because people can't find a trash can or outside ashtray? That's a big hit on a home. That's a big hit on property values and subsequently property taxes and government revenue. Revenue we all have to provide.
The other cost comes in less usage. Create an area where there is an abundance of trash and cigarette butts and fewer people will go there. That hurts shopping centers. Clubs. Arenas. Festivals. Etc. Adverse images of an area hurts economic development. People won't move there. Neither will businesses.
Another type of damage could be the effect improper cigarette disposal has on our furry and feathered friends. Sometimes animals mistake cigarette butts for food. Not good.
A survey of 1,000 smokers found that 35% toss five or more cigarette butts per pack in the ground. The reason why? Because a finished cigarette is a small item and those smokers for the most part don't see the consequences.
But when you take ALL the smokers collectively in a given area or across the ENTIRE country, the impact is no longer small. It's huge. More awareness and more cigarette butt receptacles can easily put a major dent in this problem. When you purchase trash receptacles or commercial trash cans, don't forget to add the same amount of outdoor ashtrays.
To search a large variety of our ash receptacles and find an outdoor ashtray that a park, business, university or other facility can place in their space to cut back on cigarette litter, see this section of The Park Catalog.
Note: With the Park and Facilities ParkExpress program, many outdoor ashtrays can now be shipped quickly. Give us a call and let us see what we can do for you.