More than 48,000 pounds of litter will stay out of Virginia’s waterways thanks to over 2,600 volunteers who joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) annual Clean the Bay Day, Virginia’s largest and longest-running litter and shoreline cleanup.
“What started off as just a chat among neighbors back in 1989 has ignited Virginia's most impactful cleanup movement. This past Saturday, that collective power was palpable across the state,” said CBF Grassroots Coordinator Lisa Renee Jennings. “Volunteers didn't just clear trash; they tackled the invisible threat of microplastics and created connections as they united for the common goal of a healthier, plastic-free Bay for generations to come."
On June 7, 2,698 volunteers and more than 60 CBF partners gathered at over 200 sites in Richmond, Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and at Virginia State Parks. While the vast majority of the partners have reported and numbers will increase, preliminary totals show 48,880 pounds of litter and debris were removed from beaches, parks, shorelines, streams, rivers, streets, and lakes.
Since 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged about 177,000 volunteers who have removed approximately 7.1 million pounds of debris from across our land and waterways.
This year’s litter removal played a critical role in mitigating the pervasive threat of microplastics and other pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. Litter like plastic bottles and cups break down into microplastics and wash into the Bay.
Litter, especially plastic, doesn't just disappear. It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, known as microplastics, which contaminate the Bay's water and sediment. More than 90 percent of microplastics that enter in the Bay stays in the Bay.
These microplastics can be ingested by fish and animals in the water, entering the food chain and potentially harming wildlife and even human health. Additionally, larger debris can entangle animals and degrade the natural beauty of the Bay.
As in previous years, the most common items found during this year’s cleanup were plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers, plastic bags, and cigarette butts. But volunteers recovered many larger items, including an 8-foot pipe, a palette with milk jugs attached, a plastic car fender, and a headboard.
Unusual items included a Santa’s reindeer, dentures, a paintball gun, a fresh cup of salsa, a marble countertop, and hot wheels underwear.
Among the volunteers were many elected officials, other community leaders, service members, Scout groups, small businesses, large corporations, and thousands of other Virginians.
Virginia Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF
[email protected]
804-258-1567
