Cigarette Litter Reduction Project Rebecca Cormier, Ravin Perera, Jared McKay / Des 502 / November 25th 2016 Table of Contents

Project Brief Why is Litter a Problem? 4-5 - Design solution in depth anti theft and locking system 18-19

Capital City Clean Up and the City of Edmonton are in need Limitations facing Current Receptacle 6-7 - In depth Bracketing system and weatherproofing 20-21 of a new design solution to replace the current re- ceptacles. Our task was to produce a new design that would mitigate the design flaws present in the existing recepta- Examining current Cleaning System 8-9 - Design Solution- Receptacle opening 22- 23 cle. The current receptacles are difficult to service and are susceptible at vandalism and theft. In order to design a solu- tion that addressed all the current problems, we conduct- Examining theft and damage occurrences 10-11 - Conclusion of final design 24-25 ed user research, examined all stakeholders, and analyzed each existing flaw. Our research outlined how we might im- prove all aspects of a cigarette receptacle for Edmonton. Examining usability and visibility 12-13 - Appendix and Technical Drawings 26- 31

Design solutions overview 14-15 - White Model and Poster 32- 33

Design solution in depth cleaning system 16-17

2 3 Litter Research Cigarette butt litter is both a physical Although the current receptacle installations and social problem. After conducting have decreased overall cigarette butt litter interviews with users of the current cigarette by 25%, according to capital city cleanup, It receptacles we found that often they are is still a prominent issue in Edmonton. Last overflowing, and those who use them are year officers issued 112 warnings and less inclined to use the receptacles because 75 tickets concerning cigarette butt littering. along with being overfilled, they are often Two problems unfold from this, one being smoldering and are dirty from the ash. that the cigarette receptacles being overfilled Overall, there is strong motivation to reduce result in people littering, and secondly, as cigarette butt litter. Since the receptacles one user said, she felt stigmatization for being have been installed, as mentioned earlier, a smoker because those who do not smoke litter has been reduced by 25%. Design are bothered by the smoldering receptacles. thinking applied to the receptacle design Two problems unfold from this, one being could reduce cigarette litter exponentially. that the cigarette receptacles being overfilled Cigarette butts account for around 50% result in people littering, and secondly, as of items of litter in the Western World, one user said, she felt stigmatization for being and it is a major source of social and a smoker because those who do not smoke

“Last year peace officers issued 112 warnings and 75 tickets concerning cigarette butt littering.”

Capital City Cleanup

4 5 Analysis of Current Receptacle Lack of Snuff Plate

No Weatherproofing

• The current receptacles are difficult to service, • When rain or snow falls into the opening, the the current maintenance system requires the freeze into a large clump, and they cleaner to insert a wet/dry vac into the recep- become increasingly difficult to empty. There tacle opening. is nowhere to extinguish your cigarette on the current receptacle and there is enough ox- Receptacle Opening too Wide. ygen intake from the widened top for ciga- rettes to smolder or even catch fire.

Easily Vandalized Mounting System

• Through research we determined that ciga- • Vandalization is an issue, The current locking rette receptacles are often smoldering, this system on the original receptacle was being increases stigmatization for the user because broken into, so the bottom of the receptacle the presence of the receptacle is unpleasant needed to be welded on. This is term forced for both the user and the general public.. the top to be widened and created the need for the cleaning system to be vacuumed out. Welded Bottom Modification The current receptacles were not designed for rain or snow.

6 7 Maintenance and Serviceability Stakeholder: Bee Clean

Capital City Cleanup has expressed that the current ECOLAD Model They modified the receptacles by welding a stronger material onto the 1601 receptacles experienced regular break ins. As a result, the bottom and widening the top so they could be emptied by vacuuming receptacles were modified by the city of Edmonton to be more the cigarettes out with a wet/dry shop vacuum. This had a number of secure. The bottom of the receptacles were the most vulnerable repercussions on the speed and efficiency to which the receptacles spot of the receptacle and the bottom lock could easily be pried off could be serviced. We had the opportunity of shadowing an employee and broken into; this is also how they emptied the receptacle. from Bee Clean, the company in charge of cleaning the receptacles.

Key Observations

• The employee has to carry a garbage bag, • The Bee Cleaner would use a crowbar to • Bee Clean employee is responsible for re- a metal crowbar, rags, and a vacuum clean- loosen the hardened cigarettes and remove moving any stickers or graffiti on the recep- er that weighs over 20lbs, in order to empty the residue that is stuck inside. tacles. •

• Emptying all the receptacles on Whyte Ave • Due to the widened diameter and position • A bee clean employee would spend rough- required the bee clean employee to empty of the opening, it was common that liq- ly 8-10 minutes on an individual receptacle, the wet/dry shop vac before continuing to uid would be poured into the receptacle, as and that does not guarantee that they get another area. well as other litter such as cigarette packs, completely emptied. and garbage. Rain and snow would also fall • into the receptacle. This would harden and solidify the cigarettes, making the cleaning • Since the nozzle of the vacuum does not process more difficult with the vacuum. fit into the opening of the receptacle, it is • not a very powerful suction. The Bee Clean employee would hold attempt to use their hand in the space between the vacuum and the receptacle to create a better seal. •

8 9 Theft and Vandalism Stakeholder: Business Revitalization Zone

The original W model 1601 was designed to be emptied from the bottom, as this is “People always bust them open to try and get a half where the locking system was located. Due to a large amount of vandalism breaking the smoked cigarette, which is why they are always vandalized, locking system, and opening bottom door the system it was then welded shut to pre- they will always find a way to pop it open, so you vent this from happening. The welding shut and prevention of the emptying/cleaning should design it to just allow them to get in there.” capability created the main issue as earlier covered. Due to the space to the exteri- or of the receptacle between the unit and Interviewed user the pole, there is a great leverage point for vandals to grip and pull the unit in different directions to break the supporting braces that hold the receptacle to its mounting pole. Since the welding of the bottoms of the re- ceptacle the amount of thefts have risen as people are now ripping the unit right from the pole instead of breaking into the unit.

10 11 User Interviews: Questions User Interviews: Answers

In our research it was important we understood our user group and were able to User 1: User 3 and 4 Answers from User 6 (paraphrased) emphasize the needs and wants of the those interacting with our design. As part of 1: Yes i use them. I have small grand children and kids like to pick 1: “Yes, we both use them. They are always full, and i don’t wanna From Vancouver: our research we conducted personal interviews and spoke to users on the street. them up, so i will never litter. be touching the ash, if there was more room to actually just drop it In summary, there were some commonalities among the people we interviewed. instead of trying to touch the dirt, that would be good.” They are Says there are cigarette ashtrays,but lots of people still 2: I always put it out before I use those receptacles. They are full always full, so u just will put it on the ground, which i hate doing. litter. Not much access to cigarette receptacles. of burning cigarettes, even as a smoker i don’t want to use them when they are smoldering. I think it’s extremely offensive to non 2: “I don’t think about putting it out, (user 3) I do! They are always We asked the following questions: .” smokers. Always puts cigarette butt out. Said they would use a • Do you use the cigarette receptacles, if not why? 3: if they were more visible i think people would use them more. 3: “There is no accessibility, it’s hard, you need to cross a crowd cigarette extinguisher if it was included in a receptacle to put your cigarette out. There are not enough receptacles, and because of social responsibility. • Do you always put out your cigarette? 4: (see notes) they should be more visible, they into the pole, the color. Felt huge stigmatization as a smoker. • Do you find they are accessible? (we meant by this, are they easy to see/ find?)] Additional Notes: There are a lot of people that are super sen- They should be different colors.” sitive to smoke, I don’t want to use them when they are full or 4: “There should be a spot to put out your cigarette, i don’t want Felt cigarette receptacles should be aesthetically • Would you like it if the receptacle had a designated place to put the cigarette out? smoking, when its smoldering it gets all over your clothes, I don’t it to be rubbing against the metal thing.” pleasing, still wanted to feel like it was okay to smoke, wanna go back to my office when i smell like smoke. I have grand- and it’s okay to extinguish your butt here. children, I don’t want them to see cigarette butts on the ground, User 5: Said there was a huge psychological component be- I don’t want my dog to smell them. They need to be more visible, hind it, felt ashamed and addicted. In summary, there were some commonalities among the people we interviewed. larger, and have no garbage in them. They should stand out, you 1: “I find them hard to find, they light on fire.” We determined that serviceability is an incredibly important aspect of the have to look for them when you’re walking around and plan your She suggested a little sensor that said “thank you” af- 2: “not really, i don’t want to get ash on my fingers, you can squish design. Almost every single person we interviewed said that more often than route around them. Toronto has amazing receptacles, they don’t ter you put your cigarette in it. it out on the side but” not the receptacles were smoldering and overfilled. Another insight we gained have a huge amount of receptacles, but the ones they do have from our interviews was that the receptacles were often covered in ash, and are branded with that district. It’s very cool. It makes you feel like 3: “Visibility is a big issue” you’re moving through the city and exploring it. there was nowhere to put your cigarette out. Many people suggested we 4: (covered in 2.) design a receptacle with a designated placed to extinguish a cigarette. User 2: 1: “Often no, they are always full and they don’t get emptied We had two individuals state they felt stigmatized by the current design of the enough, so they catch on fire.” receptacles which was interesting because we didn’t prompt the subject of 2: “When at home i use an , when I’m out i just step on it.” stigmatization. One woman said “They are full of burning cigarettes, even as a smoker i don’t want to use them when they are smoldering. I think it’s extremely 3: “I wish they were bigger, i would use them more if they were offensive to non smokers.” Another woman we spoke to said felt huge stigmatization empty.” as a smoker and That cigarette receptacles should be aesthetically pleasing, 4: “Yes. You guys should design one so it’s a smokeless ashtray.” she said she “still wanted to feel like it was okay to smoke, and it was okay to extinguish your cigarette and to feel good about doing so.” We had several people say they were difficult to find as well, and that branding or color would help them fit into the streetscape, be aesthetically pleasing, and easier to locate.

12 13 Slanted Roof for added Weather-sealing Areas of Focus: Addition of Snuffer From the problems we have identified, we have created a set of objectives to improve the usability of the receptacles. Double- Wall Reinforced Push Lock

• Weatherproofing Seamless Anti-Theft Design • Design of the receptacle opening • Addition of “snuffer” or area to extinguish cigarette • Easy access for serviceability • Protection from theft Reinforced Bracketing System • Visibility and branding

Easily Serviceability Access

14 15 Concept

These sketches illustrate the though process behind our design. We were inspired by a medical pill bottle, that you press and twist. We decided to pursue only the “twist” com- ponent of the design, because we could not justify the value that the “pressing” step would add. This would add extra security Cleaning and Maintenance against tampering, and also make the ser- viceability of the receptacle streamlined and efficient.

Two Part System LiquiGlide The receptacle empties like a garbage can, To mitigate the current problems of ser- LiquiGlide™ is a multi-layer, liquid-impregnat- and allows the servicer to get all of the gar- viceability, while also considering theft and ed surface, consisting of a customized solid bage and cigarette butts out completely. A vandalism being an obstacle, we designed a texture and a liquid. The highly textured solid cleaner receptacle means less overfilling and two part system that would unlock, and then surface is composed of a matrix of features twist off, allowing easy access for the service spaced sufficiently close to stably contain therefore less litter. crew. The bee clean employee could simply the impregnating liquid that fills in the spac- unlock the push-lock, twist off the recep- es between the features. The liquid is held in tacle bottom, and empty the cigarettes. place within the texture, creating a slippery, liquid surface. Over time, the surface contin- ues to be slippery because the liquid is per- manently held in place within the textures. LiquiGlide’s coatings are custom designed to be hyper slippery and permanently wet, using materials that are safe for each specific ap- plication. Our coatings are also self-healing, such that the liquid will naturally fill and cover any scratches that are made in the surface.

16 17 Square Threading We chose to do square threading instead of a circular “pop bottle” screw threading for several reasons. We wanted the screw threading to resist wear over time. A square thread cannot be fed in the wrong way, or forced incorrectly. This will ensure the thread is inserted correctly every single time, rather than getting aught and possible damaged. Anti-Theft Design

Two Part System Seamless Exterior Design The new design replaces the bottom-open- One of the issues we identified with the pre- ing door of the old receptacle, for a twisting vious receptacle was that the service access threaded two-part system. The two parts areas were easily identifiable. This result- are securely held together with square ed in many receptacles being broken into, threading making the unit strong against which led the City of Edmonton to weld the impact and vandalism. The Square thread- bottom shut. This in turn created a domi- ing is more secure It locks the two cannis- no effect reducing the efficiency of mainte- ters in place and makes it more resistant to nance, which led the receptacles to overfill tampering, one particular example we had rapidly. A seamless design makes identi- in mind was the resistance to being pried fying access points difficult for unfamiliar off. users. This will mitigate break-ins through perceived inability to break into the recep- tacle. When the access point is difficult to determine, it will be deter potential van- dalizes. By this we are able to reverse the domino effect created previously.

18 19 Bracketing System Weather-Proofing

We observed from our walks around downtown Edmonton that there was The material recommended to build this new receptacle is SAE 316 a number stolen receptacles. We came across many instances where the stainless steel, which has a greater resistance to pitting corrosion than receptacle was missing, but the mounting straps were still present on the other grades of steel. The stainless steel is finished with a layer of Liqui- pole. One of the conclusions we made was that the current mounting sys- Glide, which does not let any liquids or snow sit on the surface of the tem left the bolts exposed, which would make it easy for anyone to access receptacle. This would also extend the life cycle of the receptacle them. Keeping this in mind, we designed a simple mounting system that from the minimized likelihood of corrosion. In the new design we have uses the two part system of the receptacle to secure the receptacle to changed the orientation of the receptacle opening to face frontward, the pole. The mount also allows easy installation of the new receptacle. this will prevent snow, rain and liquids from being easily poured in- side the receptacle. The addition of a sloped roof guides rainwater off onto the ground, instead of gathering on the top of the receptacle.

Bracketing System Explanation • The two metal straps would be wrapped around the pole, and attached to the mount. • The top half of the receptacle would be attached to the mount hex screws, screwed inside, and onto the mount. The 1” screw would go through the metal strap at the top, and would lock tightly before it reach- es the end of the mount, preventing the screw from being exposed. • The 1 ½” screw would go through the mount and into the pole to hold the receptacle in place. • To access these screws, the bottom section needs to be unlocked. • Since the diameter of the receptacle would pose challenges to use a screwdriver inside the receptacle, the use of hex head machine screws lets the service crew use a wrench. • Alternatively, the new receptacle is also compatible with the current mounting system.

Marine Grade Steel 316 L unsampled texture. 20 21 Enclosed Stainless Steel Structure Prevents any Areas of Focus: run off moisture from entering the receptacle.

The angled orientation of the opening prevents Snuffer rain and snow from falling into the receptacle. The smaller diameter of the opening discourages One of the most common responses we received from talking users disposing garbage in receptacle. to people on the street was that people would not use the re- ceptacles due to smoldering and fires. We observed that these fires influenced a habit of extinguishing cigarettes before dis- posing them. Using the knowledge gained from this evidence, we designed a snuffer that would allow users to extinguish their cigarette before disposing it in the receptacle. This in turn will Grated snuff plate encourages user to extinguish reduce smoldering and people using the receptacle to extin- cigarette before disposing of it in the receptacle. guish their cigarette butt. The overall receptacle will them be This will prevent smoldering as well as the reduced cleaner and more appealing to use, therefore reducing litter. diameter of the receptacle reducing oxygen intake.

22 23 24 25 26 27 Recommendations and Conclusions

The overall concept and features of the new design is influenced by the problems brought about by the old receptacle. By addressing these issues, we to mini- mize the overall quantity of littering, and improve the quality of the city landscape, and interaction with the receptacle. From our user research we determined that the receptacles can be difficult to locate, especially outside of bars, for infrequent smokers. We recommend that branding the receptacles to fit into a certain area of Ed- monton will improve the street view and overall make the receptacle aesthetically pleasing to users and the general public. One user said that “Toronto has amazing re- ceptacles, although they don’t have a huge amount of receptacles, but the ones they do have are branded with that district. It’s very cool. It makes you feel like you’re moving through the city and exploring it.” From our user interviews, we found that users feel stigmatized when using the receptacles. We feel a branding concept that would allow a user to feel as though they are moving through the city would greatly increase user experience, and in turn motivate the user to use the receptacles.

28 29 NOTES NOTES 1.00

A 1” Hex Head Machine Screw 2.00 For technical drawings, refer to Appendix 1

3.15

ø 1.50 B 1 1/2” Hex Head Machine Screw For technical drawings, refer to Appendix 2

C Cylindrical Cabinet Push Lock ø 0.20 For technical drawings, refer to Appendix 3

A

114.50° 3.00

B 1.50 7.00 6.50

C 18.5 14.0

TITLE

10.0 MOUNTING SYSTEM TITLE CIGARETTE RECEPTACLE DRAWN BY RAVIN PERERA DRAWN BY INSTITUTION RAVIN PERERA UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

INSTITUTION 0.06 UNITS UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA INCHES

17.50° 1.50 UNITS SCALE INCHES 1:1

SCALE PAGE NO. 1:3 1 OF 1

PAGE NO. 30 1 OF 1 31 Appendix 1 Appendix 2

5/16" 5/16" 0.120" 1" 0.120" 1 1/2" Hex Hex

0.190" 0.190"

#10-24 Thread #10-24 Thread

PART PART NUMBER 91720A247 NUMBER 91720A255 http://www.mcmaster.com Hex Head http://www.mcmaster.com Hex Head © 2012 McMaster-Carr Supply Company © 2012 McMaster-Carr Supply Company Information in this drawing is provided for reference only. Machine Screw Information in this drawing is provided for reference only. Machine Screw

32 33 Appendix 3 Appendix 4

0.02"

1/2" 200'

PART NUMBER 4582K22 http://www.mcmaster.com Pipe-Covering © 2015 McMaster-Carr Supply Company Information in this drawing is provided for reference only. Metal Banding

34 35