The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), created by Keep America Beautiful^® in 2002, is the nation’s largest program aimed at eliminating cigarette litter.

In the 2020 KAB National Litter Study, 9 out of 10 littered items counted were 4″ and less, with cigarette butts being the number one littered item in this category, accounting for 9.7 billion butts counted on any given day in the U.S.

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), now in its 21st year, is the nation’s largest program aimed at reducing cigarette litter. Communities implementing a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program consistently reduce cigarette litter by half based on local measurements taken in the first four to six months after program is implemented. Since its inception, the program has been implemented in more than 1,800 U.S. communities.

An effective local Cigarette Litter Prevention Program includes four proven, field-tested solutions or strategies for reducing cigarette butt litter.

• Review local litter laws, including cigarette butt litter, and support enforcement.
• Raise awareness about the issue of proper cigarette butt disposal using messaging and marketing campaigns.
• Place ash receptacles at transition points to non-smoking area like beaches, hospitals, or public parks.
• Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers.

In 2022, Keep America Beautiful will focus on three primary types of intervention with a goal to increase cigarette butt recycling and to incorporate technology into the assessment and collection program. Applicants will have the opportunity to focus on cigarette litter reduction through messaging, infrastructure placement, or a combination of both.