Walk Your Butt to the Can.

A cigarette litter prevention program for downtown Des Moines.

Research shows that individuals who would never consider littering an aluminum can or piece of paper, do not consider cigarette butts litter.  But CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE LITTER TOO! Cigarette litter is an environmental problem, as it may take up to seven years for a cigarette butt to break down when littered.  The size of the cigarette litter makes cleanups very costly.  Locally, Operation Downtown spends more than $100,000 a year cleaning up cigarette litter in downtown Des Moines.

The Downtown Community Alliance, Operation Downtown, Metro Waste Authority, City of Des Moines and Keep Iowa Beautiful launched this new cigarette litter prevention program on June 12, 2007.  Mayor Frank Cownie installed the first of 20 ash receptacles to be placed throughout the downtown community. 

"Cigarette litter is a problem for our community," said Cownie.  "I strongly support the introduction of this program in downtown Des Moines.  We are encouraging downtown businesses, residents and visitors to become involved and help raise awareness that cigarette butts are litter too!"

Some interesting facts about cigarette litter...

* Locally, 25% of the Operation Downtown staff's time is contributed to cleaning up cigarette litter.  That equals approximately $9,000 each month, totaling $108,000 each year.

* In Des Moines, there is a $100 fine for littering, including cigarette butts.

* Only 10% of cigarette butts are deposited in litter receptacles - the least likely item to be placed in a receptacle, which means 90% of cigarette butts are dropped on the ground and thrown into the environment.

* Over 80% of smokers say they would place their butts in ash receptacles if suitable ones were available.

* Research shows that individuals who would never consider littering an aluminum can or piece of paper, do not consider cigarette butts litter.  Smokers are not aware that cigarette butts are litter too.

* According to the Ocean Conservancy's Annual International Coastal Cleanup, communities across the country reported that cigarette butts were the most littered item, representing over 34% of the items collected.

* A 2003 Land & Underwater U.S. Cleanups list of Top 10 items found, cigarette butts were the number one item collected at 1,426,613.

* About 95% of cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic which does not quickly degrade and can persist in the environment for years.

* About 18% of all litter, including cigarette butts, traveling primarily through storm water systems, ends up in local streams, rivers and waterways.