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Page County Solid Waste Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

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Page County, Virginia, LogoPage County Solid Waste is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant for their Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, as part of our 13th Annual Green Grants Program.

Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community. Grants must focus on one of the following priorities: Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification.

Page County is a small, rural county bordering the Shenandoah National Park with a population of 23,000 people. The Solid Waste department runs two landfills  and two citizen drop-off areas. They accept trash and recycling from three towns, county citizens, and surrounding counties.

Concerned about the amount of cigarette butts littered, they will launch a “No Butts About It” campaign in an effort to raise awareness and reduce cigarette butt litter.  With funds provided by the Green Grant award, the Solid Waste department of Page County will purchase cigarette butt receptacles to encourage proper disposal of cigarette litter.

With funds received from the Green Grant award, stationary receptacles will be purchased and placed at the county’s convenience sites, and mounted receptacles will be installed at community buildings.  They will also distribute auto ash trays at different events throughout the year, such as Earth Day, Ruritan talks, and a Hazardous Waste event.  As part of the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), they will count cigarette butts collected in the targeted areas before the installation of the receptacles, and compare that to the number of butts found littered after the receptacles are in place.  ArcMate trash grabbers will also be purchased for the safety and convenience of those picking up the littered cigarette butts.  The data that is collected will be compared and analyzed to determine any patterns of littering behaviors.

Thank you Page County Solid Waste Department for addressing the problem of cigarette butt litter — the Number One most commonly littered item in the state!

Pocket Ashtray

What Is CLPP?

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The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) was created by Keep America Beautiful® in 2002, and is the nation’s largest program aimed at eliminating cigarette litter.

As an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, here at Keep Virginia Beautiful we follow their guidelines and use their model to conduct our Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.  An effective CLPP includes four proven, field-tested solutions or strategies for reducing cigarette butt litter:

–  Encourage enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter;
–  Raise awareness about the issue using public service messages;
–  Place ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings; and
–  Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers.

Here’s where you come in!  We’re giving away ten cigarette butt receptacles during the month of August to public or private businesses who will place them (and maintain them) in appropriate areas for smokers to use.  All you need to do is enter your name on this form before midnight August 31, 2020.  A receptacle will be shipped directly to you!  Then YOU can start making a difference in your community.

On a more individual level, if you or someone you know is an adult smoker, we are giving away a pocket ashtray to anyone who requests one, while supplies last.  Simply go to our website to take the pledge to Keep Virginia Beautiful by disposing of your cigarette butts responsibly, and give us your name and mailing address on the form provided.  We will mail you a pocket ashtray!

These are simple but effective steps that you can take to do something about the challenges of cigarette butt litter in our landscape.

And speaking of litter, you can also enter the drawing for a Cleanup Kit that includes six trash grabbers, bags for trash and recycling, safety guidelines, gloves, and a hand scale.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity for your family, neighborhood, place of worship, nonprofit, or business — we’re giving away ten during the month of August!