Guest Blogger Peter: Cigarette Butt Deposits

The streets of New York City are littered with cigarette butts. The problem, I'm afraid, was only exacerbated by Mayor Bloomberg's ban on smoking within bars and restaurants. On another, more tragic note, there are a great many homeless/impoverished people across the five boroughs. A large percentage of these less fortunate individuals dedicate tremendous amounts of time to rifling through garbage bins collecting cans for redemption.

What if, like cans, there were a deposit on cigarettes? It could be redeemed by turning in the butts. It might help keep the sidewalks a little cleaner, at least.

Sandra and I have gone 'round and 'round on this one, initially wondering if it is too degrading to think someone would go around picking up cigarette butts off the ground. We then realized that it's probably not any dirtier than going through garbage cans and, in fact, a less socially ostracizing action. Sandra also pointed out that anyone can pick up butts. The point is that the cost of cleaning the butt is tied to the person buying the pack - the deposit transferred to the person who helps pick them up.

Here's a good scenario: after a dope-ass party, one doesn't just go and return all the empty cans and bottles - but the butts, too.

Mary Comments:

I think this is brilliant. We tax cigarette's for health care, why not for environmental costs, too?

Question: would filterless cigs be taxed the same and if not, would this encourage people to smoke filterless cigarettes? (I think the answer is to tax them all the same, even though filterless cigarettes biodegrade a lot more quickly).

What about tuburculosis? (I suppose similar objections were made to early bottle bills). [I should really go look up a bunch more bottle bill links, but this is why I'm such a lame blogger these days!]

BTW: I can't believe we can't get an indoor smoking ban passed in Portland. Since I've been going out a little more lately, it really strikes me how stinky a town we are.