Tolland's Nip Program: 7,000 Pieces Of Litter Off The Streets

TOLLAND, CT — Tolland Town Manager Brian Foley is touting the state's Nickel per Nip program as a success locally.

Ridding the town of more than 7,000 pieces of litter will do that.

Through the program, every city and town in Connecticut receives back the 5-cent surcharge for each nip sold within its borders. The funds are used for a myriad of environmental purposes including community clean ups by non-profit organizations. For the latest reporting period, Tolland made $7,847.25 on 156,945 nip bottles sold.

This is where the local Nip it in the Bud program, led by the Tolland Conservation Commission, comes into play, Foley said in his latest report to the Tolland Town Council.

State statistics compiled by the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut show that, over the past two reporting periods encompassing a 12-month periord, a total of 303,539 were sold in Tolland. Local nip "bounty hunters" have picked up 7,200 bottles from Tolland's roadsides over a 40-mile stretch. Tolland had 133 miles of roads.

"Our volunteers have scoured the roads in search of this ubiquitous litter," Foley said in his report.

On average, the nip hunters have observed 135 nip bottles per mile, ranging from 35 to 440 bottles per mile.

The local "Nip it in the Bud" program pays 20 cents per salvaged bottle.

"Before the grass grows too high, an industrious bounty hunter can collect $25 to $50 per hour worth of reward," Foley said in his report.

Of the original funding of $4,500 allocated for the program, the commission has paid out $1,440 in gift cards from local businesses of the volunteer's request. Originally intended as a means for youth volunteers to earn money, Tolland's nip hunters, to date, have been "youthful Seniors," Foley said.

Said the report, "The majority of the gift cards are for Big Y. Though some of these cards are helping with individual grocery bills, our generous volunteers are donating their gift card purchased food to the local food bank."

The report added, "The Conservation Commission is at the Town Green Farmers Market, typically the second Sunday of every month, for people to bring their bottles and provide their information and gift card selection. The Conservation Commission is extremely grateful to our Council Partners in supporting this meaning program."

Foley said the most important element of the program is, "Not only does it help put roadside plastic where it belongs, it provides assistance to residents in need and honors the spirit to which Tolland received these funds in the first place."