PennDOT is seeking volunteers for this year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, which runs through May 31.
The cleanup event is an annual effort sponsored by PennDOT, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the state Department of Environmental Protection and other partners. Groups participating in PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program, which involves volunteers cleaning roadsides year round, are also encouraged to participate in the cleanup.
During the “Pick it Up PA Days,” from April 20 to May 6, registered events will have access to free disposal at participating landfills. PennDOT provides gloves, trash bags and safety vests to AAH and Great American Cleanup of PA groups.
In 2012, more than 141,000 volunteers collected 6.7 million pounds of litter from Pennsylvania’s roads, trails and shorelines during the Great American Cleanup.
“These cleanup programs play a huge role in keeping Pennsylvania beautiful through cleaner roadsides and communities,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “It’s my hope that more individuals get involved and join the thousands of dedicated volunteers that participate in these efforts year after year.”
Interested individuals can find a listing of cleanup events, resources for organizing a cleanup, and other information about the effort online at www.gacofpa.org.
Groups interested in adopting a section of highway are encouraged to contact their local PennDOT County Maintenance office and ask for the AAH coordinator, or visit www.dot.state.pa.us.
In addition, this year, cleanup partner Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is hosting its first-ever Great American Cleanup Video Contest. Interested individuals can send a 3- to 5-minute video of their cleanup event to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful by May 24. The videos will be made available for the public to vote on online after that date. For contest rules and information, visit www.gacofpa.org.
