Cigarette Butt Rebate Considered
The borough of Fairbanks North Star is considering an ordinance that would pay smokers to turn in their cigarette butts.
Assemblyman David Veazey said the ordinance would cut down on cigarette butt litter. The proposal is scheduled for a public hearing next month, the Associated Press reported.
"It's not an absurd idea," Veazey said to chuckles from his fellow assembly members at a work session Thursday. "It's just new and people aren't used to it."
Under Veazey's proposal, cigarette buyers would pay an extra $1 a pack as a deposit. They would then get five cents per butt back after returning the used butts to a borough office, the report said.
Veazey is proposing the borough spend $30,000 to implement the ordinance. He said he thinks about two out of every 10 cigarette butts would be returned, so the deposit would turn into a source of revenue for the borough.
Assemblyman David Veazey said the ordinance would cut down on cigarette butt litter. The proposal is scheduled for a public hearing next month, the Associated Press reported.
"It's not an absurd idea," Veazey said to chuckles from his fellow assembly members at a work session Thursday. "It's just new and people aren't used to it."
Under Veazey's proposal, cigarette buyers would pay an extra $1 a pack as a deposit. They would then get five cents per butt back after returning the used butts to a borough office, the report said.
Veazey is proposing the borough spend $30,000 to implement the ordinance. He said he thinks about two out of every 10 cigarette butts would be returned, so the deposit would turn into a source of revenue for the borough.