SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego is hoping to stamp out a portion of city litter with newly installed cigarette butts receptacles along San Diego Bay.
The Port of San Diego installed 31 of the cigarette butt receptacles in partnership with TerraCycle, which developed the disposal stands.
Staff from the Port's General Services Department will be in charge of emptying the receptacles and shipping the used cigarette butts to TerraCycle, who in turn will process them to be used in recycled products.
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"Reducing litter is a critical step in protecting San Diego Bay, our precious natural resource. An added bonus is that this program provides an alternative to adding waste to our county’s landfill," Rafael Castellanos, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners, said.
The receptacles have been installed at:
- North Embarcadero area;
- Shelter Island Park;
- Spanish Landing Park;
- Harbor Island Park;
- Seaport Village;
- Pepper Park in National City;
- Chula Vista’s Bayside, Bayfront and Marina View Parks;
- Embarcadero Marina Parks North and South;
- Ruocco Park;
- Tuna Harbor;
- America’s Cup Harbor; and
- Port administration building and general services/procurement offices.
Port leaders say the project will help reduce waste in the bay and tidelands while repurposing the waste into useful products.
TerraCycle plans to use to recycled compost for plastic pellets that can then be used by manufacturers for products like plastic lumber or shipping pallets.
