Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful's Pick Up Pennsylvania Community Cleanup Initiative continues in full swing through May 31, offering help to volunteers interested in litter cleanups and beautification projects.

This annual initiative offers registered participants free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by support from the Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last.

Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and public education events.

Events must be registered at the Pick Up Pennsylvania webpage to receive free cleanup supplies.

As part of this event, the Department of Environmental Protection and PA Waste Industries Association are sponsoring trash disposal, free of charge or at a reduced rate, for registered program participants at participating landfills from April 1 through April 30, with prior approval.

Each year, volunteers remove an average of 7 million pounds of trash and tires from our roads, waterways, parks, trails and other shared public spaces, through this initiative.

Fayette County Volunteers

On March 20, Frank Noss and his brother coordinated a cleanup of the north and south exits of Route 119 in Everson, Fayette County.

“We filled 25 large garbage bags with miscellaneous debris, a variety of bottles, cans, single use food containers and lots of corrugated plastic signs. Some areas were so thick with discarded plastic bottles that the shoulder of the road would crunch and crackle as you walked along. PennDOT County maintenance provided Litter Crew Ahead signs for safety and promptly collected the bags of trash. Many passersby honked their horns in appreciation and some drivers actually stopped to say thank you,” said Noss.  

“There is so much litter out there. We are thankful for the people who are eager to make a difference. Early spring is the perfect time to organize or participate in a litter sweep, before it greens up and the vegetation camouflages the litter,” explained Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “It’s something that almost everybody can do. It’s a great feeling and the results are immediate. We invite everyone to join us.”

Pick It Up PA Video

A video created in partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is available free for downloading, in English and Spanish, to help increase awareness of the Pick Up Pennsylvania campaign.

Also visit Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s YouTube page. Municipalities, legislative and community leaders, media and others are encouraged to share the video.

COVID Precautions

2021 participants are encouraged to observe the most recent social distancing guidelines and are encouraged to clean up in small groups, with family members or solo.

To host an event, join an event near you or to inquire about free supplies and trash disposal, visit the Pick Up Pennsylvania webpage or contact Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.  

Video Contest

Anyone participating in Pick Up Pennsylvania can earn cash prizes for their nonprofit or charity of choice by entering the Pick Up Pennsylvania Video Contest.

Send Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful a 60-second video of your event showing how you keep Pennsylvania beautiful. Your event must be registered with Pick Up Pennsylvania to participate.

For details, visit the Pick Up Pennsylvania Video Contest webpage.

Supporters

Current 2021 Pick Up Pennsylvania supporters include: Columbia Gas of PA funded by the NiSource Charitable Foundation, The Giant Company, Coca-Cola, PA Waste Industries Association, Wawa, Giant Eagle, Luminent - Fayette Energy Facility, Mahantango Enterprises, Inc., PA Food Merchants Association, Republic Services and Wegmans.

If you are interested in becoming a supporter of the 2021 Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative contact Shannon Reiter at 724-836-4121 or sreiter@keeppabeautiful.org. 

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

NewsClips:

WBTimes: DPW Cleans Up Illegal Dump Site In South Wilkes-Barre

CitizensV: Wilkes-Barre Cleaning Up, Cracking Down On Illegal Dumping

WBTimes: Wilkes-Barre Seeking Volunteers For Great American Cleanup

ABC6: PA Woman Adopts Highway, Spends Weekends Cleaning Litter In Chester County

NextPittsburgh: Pittsburgh Street Stewards Seeks Volunteers To Redd Up The City

Op-Ed: I’m Not Joining Philly’s Spring Cleanup Until The Mayor Does More For Our Streets

ErieT: Inside Erie’s Large Item Collection Program

Marcus Schneck: Apple Tree Planting In Centralia Part Of Larger Environmental Effort

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4/12/2021