Dive Brief:

• Seattle’s Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) installed cigarette bins in an effort to collect and recycle cigarette butts.
• The butts will be transformed into plastic pallets, industrial products and compost.
• The MID is partnering with TerraCycle to recycle the cigarettes. 

Dive Insight:

The program was funded by Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., the manufacturer of the American Spirit brand. Every pound collected will see $1 donated to the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program; the MID will also receive a portion of the money.

TerraCycle collects cigarette waste at over 6,000 locations, resulting in the diversion of 23.4 million cigarette butts from landfills. In November 2013, the sustainability company launched the "Cigarette Waste Brigade" in Vancouver, Canada - its first butt recycling program. Since then, the project has expanded to include other cities. The company has garnered interest from cities worldwide looking to establish programs.