The PA Turnpike Commission is teaming up with Keep America Beautiful to rid the tollways of cigarette butts through a new program, as reported by Hayden Thompson of WTAJ.

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) received a $20,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful to target cigarette waste at highway plazas and buildings across the state. 

The program starts with scans of the waist at different properties followed by adding ash receptacles at the entrances to the buildings. Two more scans will be performed; one midway through the year and another at the end of the year.

“…we also hope to bolster awareness to travelers about the issue of proper cigarette butt disposal with educational messaging and marketing campaigns…” said Keith Jack, co-chair of the Turnpike’s Sustainability Committee.

The program has also partnered with TerraCycle to recycle and compost the collected cigarette waste. The plastic will be melted down and reused while the tobacco products will go through a special composting process.

A 2019 research study conducted by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful found that 186.2 million pieces of litter found on PA roadways were cigarette products.

“We’re grateful to Keep America Beautiful for the funding that allows us to continue to invest in this highly effective program,” said Kathryn Hartzell co-chair of the Sustainability Committee.

Read more about the efforts to clean up the Pennsylvania Turnpike at WTAJ.

______