The Glen Cove Beautification Litter Prevention Program has received a $15,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful to launch a citywide cigarette-litter prevention and recycling initiative. Working with the City of Glen Cove Beautification Commission, the nonprofit will install specialized receptacles, educate adult smokers and track how much cigarette waste is collected and recycled.
Lora Cusumano, president and chairwoman of the nonprofit program, said she learned about the grant through the organization’s affiliation with Keep America Beautiful and applied in February. She was unsure whether Glen Cove would be selected. “We were all very excited to hear that. Now we’re implementing the program, Cusumano said.
The program currently has 23 receptacles and may acquire more. Some can be attached to walls or poles, while freestanding units can be bolted to the ground. They will be placed at approved city-owned sites and businesses that agree to follow collection, storage and recordkeeping requirements. “I just don’t think that people are aware that cigarette butts can be recycled,” she said.