Recycling Cigarette Butts

TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, has joined forces with Go Green Middleburg to collect and recycle cigarette butts throughout the city’s districts. “Go Green started cigarette recycling after volunteers got tired of picking up hundreds of cigarette butts from streets, sidewalks, bushes, parking lots and storm drains year-after-year during the Town’s semi-annual cleanup events,” said Middleburg Go Green Committee member Lynne Kaye. “A little research showed that not only were the cigarette butts a pain for volunteers to collect, the cigarette waste also posed a hazard to the Town’s children, pets, wildlife and water quality.” Through this program, Go Green Middleburg is not only addressing the nation’s most commonly littered item but also a form of unbiodegradable plastic waste. Since implementing the program, cigarette collection receptacles have been attached trash cans all-around town. Exceptionally high-trafficked street-corners, benches and parking lots were also identified for receptacle placement during town-wide clean-ups.

The organization currently maintains 13 receptacles in public areas which is a significant amount considering Middleburg’s smaller size. All of the collected waste is shipped to TerraCycle for recycling. When processed, the paper and tobacco is separated from the filter and composted. The filter is recycled into plastic pellets which can be used by manufacturers to make a number of products such as shipping pallets, ashtrays and park benches. “These receptacles will help keep Middleburg free of one of the most littered items on the planet,” said Tom Szaky, the founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “With this program, Go Green Middleburg is taking a step to reduce the amount of trash going to landfill while also preserving the area’s natural beauty.” TerraCycle has collected hundreds of millions of cigarette butts globally. Additionally, through its various recycling programs, it has engaged over 100 million people across 21 countries to collect and recycle more than four billion pieces of waste that were otherwise non-recyclable.