The City of Fredericksburg Clean and Green Commission received a 30 in 30 grant from KVB and matching funds from the City of Fredericksburg and non-competitive Litter Grant funds administered by the VA Department of Environmental Quality to address cigarette pollution in the historic downtown area of Fredericksburg. Following the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, the Commission took these steps:

• Create a task force and develop a timeline and budget.
• Identify the worst littered areas by doing an initial scan and garner business support. The initial scan covered a 2 block area and 2,414 cigarette butts were picked up.
• The Commission handed out pocket ashtrays and educational material through one on one sidewalk interactions, but most of the outreach with the most significant impact was completed through businesses adopting displays and information. The displays
  were made and donated by the City Public Works Office. Businesses that put out a display were visited and refilled as needed.
• 12 Businesses are currently participating in the display/handout program.
• The Commission received permission from the City to purchase and work with businesses for the adoption and  City installation of sidewalk ashcan receptacles.

Results:

• The Commission received funding from 3 sources.
• The Commission performed before and after scans of the target area attaining a 35% reduction in cigarette litter. Most impressive was the dramatic reduction in butts in areas that were high volume in the 1’st scan.
• 1,000 pockets ashtrays were distributed.
• 12 businesses are willing to stay on with this program once 2,000 additional pocket ashtrays are received.
• 10 businesses agreed to adopt one sidewalk ashcan and keep it emptied.
• 3 of these businesses also agreed to purchase a backdoor can for employee use. Those cans have received and once put in place, a third scan will be conducted to measure additional reductions in litter.

The Clean and Green Commission views this Cigarette Litter Butts are Litter campaign as sustainable and plans to continue and expand the program in 2012. Future goals include:

• Performing additional scans to tangibly verify the impact of the efforts.
• Applying for additional grant support.
• Keeping the pocket ashtray distribution displays active.
• Adding up to ten more sidewalk and employee cans to the area.
• Displaying posters in the area.
• Providing window decals for businesses supporting the program.
• Incorporating the support of the City’s River Steward and the City police force.