The Campbell County Fiscal Court is reapplying for a grant to place collection containers in schools so that e-cigarettes can be disposed of safely.
The grant is used to provide proper disposal of confiscated e-cigarettes, which contain two hazardous items, a liquid nicotine mixture and lithium-ion batteries. The county first applied for the Environmental Stewardship Project Grant offered by UK Cooperative Extension Services last fall.
Last year the program was implemented in Campbell County Middle School, Campbell County High School, Bellevue Middle/High School and Newport Central Catholic High School. This year the program is expanding to include Newport High School and Bishop Brossart High School.
The grant provides containers made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (a thermoplastic and amorphous polymer) under lock and key and the disposal cost of e-cigarettes.
According to Campbell County Administrator Matt Elberfeld last year, the county collected roughly 20 pounds of e-cigarettes through the program.