PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) \u2014 The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike), in partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB), received national recognition for addressing the problem of cigarette waste.<\/p>\n
Keep America Beautiful chose the PA Turnpike as its 2025 State Agency Partnership Award honoree for their approach to managing one of Pennsylvania\u2019s largest littering problems. Through the partnership, cigarette litter has reduced at PA Turnpike\u2019s 17 service plazas across the 565+ mile roadway system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is dedicated to building partnerships and responsibly fulfilling its environmental obligations,\u201d said PA Turnpike Director of Communications and Commission Sustainability Co-Chair Leslie Gervasio. \u201cThe Cigarette Litter Prevention Program united those priorities in a meaningful way, and we\u2019re proud to be recognized alongside Keep PA Beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2024, the PA Turnpike and KPB invested $20,000 in grant funding to place receptacles at each of the 17 PA Turnpike service plazas and interchange access points. Targeting these high-traffic areas maximized impact and helped in changing public behavior, leading to a 43% drop in pre-receptacle installation for cigarette litter.<\/p>\n
Winning entries from this year\u2019s Litter Hawk Youth Award Program were also put on permanent display at select service plazas.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy working with us to reduce cigarette litter and elevate messages of environmental responsibility, including the display of youth designed artwork, the PA Turnpike Commission has demonstrated true leadership. This exemplifies the kind of collaboration this partnership award is meant to recognize and honors the Commission\u2019s commitment to sustainability and its role as a model for others across the Commonwealth. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is honored to partner with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, said Executive Director of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Shannon Reiter.<\/p>\n
The award was presented to the PA Turnpike Commission during a Commissioner\u2019s Meeting on April 21.<\/p>\n
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