Behavioral Strategies to Reduce Cigarette Litter

Determined in 2 experiments whether an increased number of ashtrays available in a particular location would reduce ground accumulations of cigarette litter and whether decorated ashtrays are more effective in reducing cigarette litter than regular nondecorated ashtrays. The presence of ashtrays during Exp 1 led to a significant overall decrease in cigarette litter on the ground at low-traffic and high-traffic sites, when compared with conditions with no ashtrays available. Exp 2 yielded similar results in terms of ground litter at the high-traffic site. Significantly fewer cigarette butts were collected in the presence of ashtrays than when ashtrays were absent. Decorating 2 ashtrays increased the number of appropriate disposals at 3 of the 4 locations compared with nondecorated controls.