Individuals, families, churches, businesses, schools, civic organizations, government agencies and communities can register to pick up trash on almost any state-maintained road.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) annual Adopt-A-Highway Fall Statewide Cleanup is set for Saturday, Sept. 28.
Co-sponsored by the WVDEP and the state Division of Highways (WVDOH), the Adopt-A-Highway program is administered by the WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) and improves the quality of the state’s environment by encouraging public involvement in the elimination of highway litter.
Individuals, groups, and organizations can register to pick up trash on most state-maintained roads, back roads, or main routes. Private roads and interstate highways cannot be adopted. The Adopt-A-Highway program provides garbage bags, work gloves and safety vests to volunteers, and takes care of disposing of collected trash. Volunteers must be at least 12-years-old to participate. One-time cleanups are encouraged but must be registered.
Groups must register by September 18th and inform their county WVDOH garage if they need supplies. Supplies may be picked up during normal business hours at your local WVDOH garage.
To register, call 1-800-322-5530 or send an email to dep.aah@wv.gov. If you reach the REAP voicemail, please leave your name, phone number, group name, date of cleanup, number of participants, and the county where your adopted road is located.
Last year, Adopt A Highway performed more than 36,000 hours of labor and removed over 230,000 pounds of litter from state roads.
REAP, whose motto is ‘Keeping WV Clean and Green,’ was created in 2005 and strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts.
