Cigarette Litter Down 54% Thanks to Keep America Beautiful's Prevention Program

STAMFORD, Conn. (Map) - Five Years, Later Cigarette Litter Prevention Movement Continues To Have Major Impact

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Keep America Beautiful Inc. reports this year that there has been an average nationwide reduction of cigarette litter of 54% -- a six percent improvement from 2006 -- in the communities implementing the KAB Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP). Some communities reported as much as a 65% reduction in cigarette litter in their hometown. The nation's largest program to combat cigarette-related litter seeks to educate adult smokers about the issue while offering access to pocket ashtrays and ash receptacles as a way to combat one of the most overlooked environmental problems.

"Cigarette butts are the most littered item across the U.S., despite most peoples' perceptions," said G. Raymond Empson, president of Keep America Beautiful. "A lack of awareness, lack of ash receptacles, and ordinances that move smokers outdoors, all increase cigarette littering and make it a real challenge to keep our nation clean and beautiful. We're doing something about that."

The program, in its fifth year, has been implemented in over 150 locations throughout the U.S. It sends hundreds of volunteers into the streets to collect and count cigarette butts. They then document improvements after the program has been implemented. The 2007 campaign occurred over a seven-month period beginning in May and ending in November. Each local affiliate reported results to the national organization after two to three cigarette litter "scans" that provided progress metrics for each community.

Public education is a major component of this initiative since individuals who would never litter such items as beverage cans or paper packaging typically do not consider tossing cigarette butts on the ground "littering." Through research, Keep America Beautiful found that this action 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 walkways leading to government facilities, among others.

"We are elated to see a big reduction this year and each year the program is implemented," said Mr. Empson. "Our goal is to expand the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program to every U.S. community, making a major impact in the battle to curb litter throughout America."

Keep America Beautiful, the nation's largest "cleaning and greening" network, made famous for its "Crying Indian" ad from the 1970s, has refined the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program for the last five years with the help of funding from Philip Morris USA. The program's strategic approach involves all stakeholders in the cigarette litter problem, including businesses, law enforcement, local governments, community groups and smokers themselves.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. With a network of nearly 1,000 affiliate and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.kab.org. Information about starting and maintaining a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in your community can be found in the online "Guide to Cigarette Litter Prevention." The Guide can be accessed through the Keep America Beautiful website www.kab.org or directly at http://www.preventcigarettelitter.org.

CONTACT:

Carrie Blewitt

703-744-7816

cblewitt@qorvis.com