Corner Brook trades cash for 45K coffee cups in May litter blitz

In April, the city said it wouldoffercash for cups at the end of May in an effort to clean up the mass oflitter that crops up after snow has melted.

"I am totally shocked, I am totally shocked," saysCoun.Tony Bucklewho, when the idea was first proposed,expected just a couple of hundred cups to be turned in.

Saturday saw people of all agesturning over a month's worth of trash. And according to the city, more than 100 participants took part in the cleanup individuals, families and organizations.

Corner Brook shelled out five cents per cup and, for an added incentive, scattered four mystery cups around town that had a value of $100.

Buckle said the cups filled three dumpsters and the payouts ranged from as little as $1.25 to as much as $125.

"The big incentive, I think, [is] people know that it's dirty around town they want it cleaned up," he said. Buckle added that many picked up garbage, in addition to discarded cups.

Asof Saturday afternoon, four of the special $100-valuedcups werestill at large, Bukcle said.

Buckleplans to speak to the committee about this,and suggestedhe may give clues on where the cups are located.

Buckle hopes the new council elected this fallwill keep the cash for cups initiative going in the future.