Wake County's Solid Waste Management Division is calling on environmental champions to help us combat roadside litter on March 21 as we join 20 other organizations from North Carolina in the Greatest American Cleanup.
Next Saturday, from 9–11 a.m., volunteers from across Wake County will meet to pick up litter along Rogers Lane in Raleigh. Litter grabbers, bags and vests will be supplied. Snacks, safety training and a limited edition "Greatest American Cleanup" t-shirt will also be given to all participants. All who are interested should register here.
“Litter is a prevalent but easily preventable problem,” said Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings. "Every resident has an individual responsibility to ensure our roads remain litter-free, and the effort of volunteers who help us clean up our environment has a long-term impact on our county."
Outside of this event, Wake County offers free litter kits to make it easy to remove litter any time of the year. Residents can organize groups and borrow these kits, which include garbage bags, safety vests and litter grabbers. Residents can check out litter kits for up to two weeks and may pick up their kits from one of three locations. Since July, Wake County volunteers have dedicated about 62 hours to collect more than 130 bags, or 1.3 tons, of litter from our roads and outdoor spaces.
Residents can also help reduce roadside litter by:
- Properly securing and covering loads when traveling.
- Ensuring all trash and recyclables are disposed of properly when using outdoor event spaces. Wake County also loans trash, compost and recycling bins for events.
- Recycling and reusing materials.
- Discouraging offenders they witness littering the roads by contacting the State Highway Patrol (dial *47) or using the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Swat-a-Litterbug app.
Wake County hosts the Greatest American Cleanup in partnership with Keep America Beautiful. Anyone with questions about the Greatest American Cleanup event or other antilitter campaigns can contact Environmental Education Program Coordinator Chelsea Arey at chelsea.arey@wake.gov.
For more information on Wake County Solid Waste Management's other waste reduction programs, visit wake.gov/recycling.
