OCEAN CITY – Efforts to install cigarette disposal containers to the west of the Boardwalk will move forward as the town installs barriers and bollards as part of an access control project.
Last week, Public Works Director Hal Adkins told the Ocean City Coast-al Resources Legislative Committee, or Green Team, that plans are underway to install cigarette disposal containers – or butt huts – on the west side of the Boardwalk.
“All of the butt huts on the west side of the Boardwalk that are designed identical to the ones on the beach are built, done and ready for installation,” he said. “In addition to that, the signage identical to that on the beach is being prepared, but we’ve got to make some terminology edits.”
In November, the town received a $2,000 grant from the health department to fund an initiative that designates specific smoking and disposal areas and reduces cigarette litter near the street ends to the west of the Boardwalk. Adkins said the containers would be mounted near barriers and bollards that are being installed as part of a Boardwalk hardening project.
“As they transition their way up the Boardwalk building these we are going to fall in behind them, mount the signage and mount the butt huts,” he said.
Adkins told the committee the containers would be placed to the east of the bollards and to the west of the Boardwalk.
“They are protected from the traffic circulation and they’re not on the sidewalks near a business owner, or restaurants, windows or hostess stations,” he said.
Councilman and committee chair Tony DeLuca questioned if the town would have an issue placing disposal containers at certain businesses near the Boardwalk. But Adkins disagreed.
“I don’t think we will have problems,” he said.
Officials said the containers will also be part of an effort to collect and recycle disposed cigarette butts.
“We are going to be collecting all of the cigarette butts and store them,” said Gail Blazer, the town’s environmental engineer. “We will use volunteers and they will be boxing them up and sending them to TerraCycle, which pays for the shipping.”
Adkins said installation will begin in the coming months.
“We are getting ready to roll,” he said. “When they get done with the hardening project this summer, we will be done.”
