NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia's largest litter cleanup event is once again around the corner, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has opened up registration for those who want to volunteer.
During Clean the Bay Day on June 3, thousands of people will hit Virginia's parks, streams, beaches, and trails to pick up large amounts of litter and debris that threaten the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States.
CBF and its partners will have more than 200 cleanup sites throughout the Commonwealth, including in Hampton Roads, Richmond, and the Shenandoah Valley.
According to the organization, the most common items found are plastics, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and cigarette butts, but people also often find unusual items.
Last year, a recliner, a cash register, a car door, a 19th-century horseshoe, and a homemade drone were found during Clean the Bay Day.
CBF said the cleanup will help prevent litter, which contains microplastics and other types of pollution, from ending up in the Chesapeake Bay.
“In just one morning a year, working together on Clean the Bay Day we create huge benefits for both people and our waterways," CBF Grassroots Coordinator Lisa Renee Jennings wrote in a news release. "There is a real sense of satisfaction in rolling up your sleeves, grabbing gloves and a trash bucket, and leaving your community noticeably cleaner. With pollution from microplastics a growing concern, this is a chance to be part of the solution.”
The event will start at 9 a.m. June 3, 2023, and is open to everyone, from children to adults, and people to businesses and organizations.
Those interested in volunteering can find more information or sign up on CBF's website.
