The Grand Strand Cigarette Litter Reduction project has launched, and aims to combat the scourge of cigarette butts that blight the beaches of South Carolina.
According to WMBF News, the effort is led by the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium and its partners. The project is part of a bigger effort: the Cigarette Litter Reduction Pilot Study, which is supported by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The project started in June 2018, and is made up of three key elements:
- Monitoring of cigarette litter
- The installation of cigarette butt disposal facilities
- Raising public awareness and education about the issues caused by cigarette butts
The project is taking place at multiple test sites, including: Wacca Wache River Landing, Myrtle Beach State Park, and Garden City Beach. The first set of results which looked at the Fourth of July weekend are now in, and show that 2,779 cigarette butts were collected at the various sites.
As part of the project, researchers aim to install 10 to 15 cigarette butt disposal locations at beach access points and river landings, as well as start a campaign to educate the public about the issues surrounding cigarette butts in the marine environment.
Check out WMBF News’ coverage here, or watch the video below. To find out more and get involved, go here.
