COVINGTON, Ky. — Cigarette butts are more than a smelly eyesore on the ground. According to Keep Covington Beautiful, they’re also litter.

“I’m not sure if people realize that cigarette butts are litter, too,” Sheila Fields said. “Every butt on the ground represents a piece of litter.”

The group works to show the hazards that can come with flicking butts on the ground. They said they can be a hazard to humans, to wildlife, and to the environment because of their makeup.

The latest addition to the Cigarette Litter Prevention program is a wrapped bus that can be seen driving around in northern Kentucky.

“It’s a little flashy statement of saying, ‘Hey, you could do something so good by doing something so simple,’” said Keep Covington Beautiful vice president Megan Clere.

They decked the bus out with designs and words, reminding people to “trash the cig, not the city.” There’s even a QR code on the side of the bus.

“They come and scan it if they’re standing there. They learn more about the program and really I do think it will be impactful,” said Stephanie Bacher with Keep Covington Beautiful.

Bacher and others are dedicated to cleaning up and beautifying Covington and northern Kentucky.

They already have a project underway in the cigarette butt program – urns are placed all around Covington. They’re designated places to dispose of butts.

Local businesses and partners can choose to empty them, but so will Keep Covington Beautiful members.

The urns periodically get sent away to be properly recycled. They said to date, about 15,000 butts have been recycled through this project.

The bus just serves to be another reminder in efforts to keep cigarette litter off the streets.

“We can all work together and work towards a more beautiful future here in northern Kentucky,” Fields said.