6355628 - boy scouts folding flag, stock artwork

6355628 - boy scouts folding flag, stock artwork

Recycling Bin: Getting butts out of the ecosystem

  • Sunday, December 9, 2018 1:23am
  • News

Around the world, 5 trillion filter cigarettes are smoked annually. Over 287 billion cigarettes are sold in the U.S. and two out of three smoked cigarettes, approximately 1.69 billion pounds, end up dropped on our streets, parks, beaches and waterways.

Toxic and non-biodegradable, cigarette butts are the No. 1 littered item in the world, poisoning wildlife and children, igniting destructive, deadly fires, and consuming tax dollars for cleanup and disposal.

Terracycle works to recycle items that are challenging to recycle such as diapers, coffee pods and cigarette butts. With funding help from the tobacco industry, Terracycle recycles cigarette butts into park benches and shipping pallets.

And as an incentive for folks to recycle their cigarette butts, Terracycle donates $1 to the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette litter Prevention Program for every pound of cigarette butts they receive.

Information provided by ReGroup, a nonprofit educational group formed in 1989 to develop public awareness, reuse, and recycling benefit on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Find ReGroup on Facebook or contact us atregroupkenaipeninsula@gmail.com.


Information provided by ReGroup, a nonprofit educational group formed in 1989 to develop public awareness, reuse, and recycling benefit on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Find ReGroup on Facebook or contact us atregroupkenaipeninsula@gmail.com.


More in News

Retired Biologist and former manager of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge will “Looking Back, Looking Forward,” a talk about his solo trip on the Yukon River, on Tuesday evening at the Refuge headquarters in Soldotna. The Homer-based nonprofit organization Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges is hosting a virtual watch party in Homer. Photo courtesy of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges
Looking back, looking forward

Robin West will give a talk about his 30-year career Tuesday evening at the Kenai refuge headquarters and virtually.

Jan Krehel waves at cars passing by as she holds a "Stand With Minnesota" banner during the "ICE OUT" demonstration on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at WKFL Park in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Homer stands with Minneapolis

Nearly 300 people took part in an “ICE OUT” demonstration on Sunday.

Nikolaevsk School is photographed on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Nikolaevsk, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
State school board approves Nikolaevsk charter

The Alaska State Board of Education held a special meeting on Jan. 22.

State of Alaska Department of Law logo. Photo courtesy of the State of Alaska Department of Law
Indiana man arrested after Alaska indictment for sexual felonies

Jacob Lemaitre, 29, faces numerous criminal charges related to sexual abuse allegations in Soldotna and Elkhart County, Indiana.

teaser
Juneau protestors urge lawmakers to defund Homeland Security after Minneapolis killings

Hundreds gathered hours before congressional delegation voted on whether to extend ICE funding.

File photo.
Kenai man sentenced to 66 years for 2022 murder

Kevin Park pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the killing of Stephanie Henson.

A tsunami is not expected after a 4.4-magnitude earthquake northwest of Anchorage Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (U.S. Geological Survey)
No tsunami expected after 4.4-magnitude earthquake in Alaska

U.S. Geological Survey says 179 people reported feeling the earthquake.

A young male ringed seal, rescued from an oilfield in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea on Dec. 17, 2025, is receiving care at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center
Sealife center takes in ringed seal

This response is one of only 30 ringed seal cases in the Alaska SeaLife Center’s 28-year history.

Macelle Joseph, a member of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé chapter of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, writes “It’s Native blood in the soil, not your oil” outside the Alaska State Capitol building on Jan. 24<ins>, 2026</ins>. Dozens of Juneauites participated in the student-led protest against the LNG pipeline.
Juneau activists speak out against Alaska LNG pipline on Capitol steps

“Alaska’s greatest resources aren’t just buried in the ground,” said protestor Atagan Hood.

Most Read