Keep America Beautiful® Presents 2023 Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Grant to Keep Alachua County Beautiful, Inc., Resources to Help Alachua County Address Cigarette Litter

GAINESVILLE - The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) to Keep Alachua County Beautiful. This grant aims to tackle the issue of cigarette litter specifically within Alachua County and Gainesville.

The grant funds will be used to install new receptacles where needed, maintain the existing ones, and replace damaged receptacles. Our newest receptacles were installed on Main St. between SW 1st Ave. and NW 1st Ave. in June.

“We’re trying to encourage people to take a small step to make a big difference,” said Gina Hawkins, Executive Director of Keep Alachua County Beautiful.

Keep America Beautiful® offered merit-based grants totaling nearly $400,000 to various organizations across the nation, including Keep Alachua County Beautiful. These grants were specifically bestowed upon community-based KAB affiliates, local governments, business improvement districts, downtown associations, parks and recreation commissions, and other organizations committed to eliminating litter and enhancing the aesthetic appeal of their communities. 

The CLPP, established in 2002, has become the nation's largest program dedicated to eliminating cigarette butt and cigar tip litter. Over 1,850 communities across the country have successfully implemented the program, consistently achieving a 50 percent reduction in cigarette litter within just the first six months. This grant funding empowers communities to address the economic, environmental, and quality-of-life impact of cigarette litter, leading to cleaner and more vibrant neighborhoods.

One of the exciting additions to this year's grants is a requirement to collect and send cigarette butts to TerraCycle, a company dedicated to recycling them into practical items such as benches, picnic tables, and other useful products. By incorporating this innovative solution, participating communities will not only prevent cigarette litter but also contribute to a more sustainable future.

To effectively combat cigarette butt litter, Keep America Beautiful® CLPP advocates four proven approaches that participating communities are encouraged to implement:

1. Encourage enforcement of litter laws, including those related to cigarette litter.

2. Raise awareness about the issue through impactful public service messages.

3. nstall ash receptacles at crucial transition points such as entrances to public buildings.

4. Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers, promoting responsible disposal options.

On June 30, 2023, Keep Alachua County Beautiful installed seven new cigarette collection receptacles in downtown Gainesville near crosswalks along Main Street between North and South 1st Avenues. KACB continues to maintain the previously installed receptacles, too. This provides citizens with a place to properly dispose of butts and other tobacco-based litter, and KACB staff continues to work to find new ways to address the issue.

According to the Keep America Beautiful® 2020 National Litter Study, cigarette butts are the most littered item in America, representing 20 percent of all items.

“The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program raises awareness, changes behaviors and promotes responsible disposal practices,” said Becky Lyons, Chief Operating Officer of Keep America Beautiful®. “It is making a tangible difference in reducing cigarette litter and fostering a cleaner environment.”

Keep America Beautiful® has found that cigarette butt litter occurs most often at transition points—areas where a person must stop smoking before proceeding into another area. These include bus stops, entrances to stores and public buildings, and the sidewalk areas outside of bars and restaurants, among others.

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is supported by funding from Philip Morris USA, an Altria company; RAI Services Company; and the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com