Keep PA Beautiful: Registration Now Open For 2016 Great American Cleanup Of PA

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Thursday announced registration is now open for the 2016 Great American Cleanup of PA to be held March 1 to May 31 across Pennsylvania.  In 2015, over 128,000 volunteers collected over 6 million pounds of trash from roads, waterways, trails and shorelines.

This annual event is held in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup and led by a coalition of nonprofit, state agency and business partners such as the Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, PA Waste Industries Association, the PA Food Merchants Association, Weis Markets, Inc., Wawa, Inc., Sheetz, ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer.

Additional 2015 event supporters include: Steel Recycling Institute, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Giant Eagle Inc., Giant Food Stores, Inc., Republic Services and Wegmans Food Markets.

The 2016 Great American Cleanup of PA will begin on March 1st and end on May 31st. During this period, registered events can get free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests from PennDOT district offices, as supplies last.

Events can be litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special collections, and educational events and must be registered through the Great American Cleanup of PA website to receive free cleanup supplies.

Free/Reduced Rate Waste Disposal

As part of this event, the Department of Environmental Protection and PA Waste Industries Association are sponsoring Let’s Pick It Up PA – Everyday from April 16th through May 9th with the focus day on April 23rd. During this time, trash collected at registered events can be taken to participating landfills for free or reduced cost disposal.

Help make your community clean and beautiful and register an event. Questions can be answered by Michelle Dunn, Great American Cleanup of PA Program Coordinator, at 1-877-772-3673 ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

“Connecting to the environment begins at home so what better way to make a difference than to take part in or organize a local cleanup in your own neighborhood, park or school,” Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley said.  “There are lots of resources available to help you organize a safe and successful cleanup.”

Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards added, “The Great American Cleanup of PA once again presents the perfect opportunity for PennDOT to partner with and provide support for those agencies and individuals who share our desire for a cleaner and safer Pennsylvania.”

“We are so grateful to our volunteers and sponsors who help make the Great American Cleanup of PA, Pennsylvania’s premier community improvement initiative, possible.” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep PA Beautiful. “This year we hope to engage even more Pennsylvania’s to come out between March and May to make their communities clean and beautiful.”

2015 Results

All 67 counties in Pennsylvania were represented in the 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA. In total, there were 4,931 events with 128,157 volunteers who collected 6,003,720 pounds of trash.

They cleaned 11,943 miles of roads, railroad tracks, trails, waterways, and shorelines, and 6,422 acres of park and/or wetlands.  Volunteers also planted 13,050 trees, bulbs, and plants in an effort to keep Pennsylvania beautiful.  

A copy of the 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA final report is available online.

For all the details and to register your event, visit the Great American Cleanup of PA website.