News Flash

Volunteers Needed for Cleanup Sites Around Durham

DURHAM, N.C. – If you want a cleaner community, now’s your chance to join a neighborhood, park or creek cleanup as part of Durham’s Annual Big Sweep next month.

Online registration for this year’s October 5 event is now open at www.durhambigsweep.org for the annual fall cleanup that brings together volunteers to remove litter. The website also lists dates for additional cleanup events on dates other than October 5 to provide cleanup opportunities all month long.

“Big Sweep volunteers make a positive impact on our local waterways,” said Director Marvin Williams with the City of Durham Public Works Department. “Litter washes down from streets through storm drains and small creeks to rivers and lakes. Whether the litter is around town or makes it to a downstream water body, it is unhealthy for people and animals and is an eyesore.”

In 2018, 539 Big Sweep volunteers removed 17,000 pounds of waste from 33 cleanup sites throughout Durham. Each year, the City’s Public Works Department coordinates Big Sweep with Keep Durham Beautiful and the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District. In addition to scheduling and advertising cleanups, coordinators provide bags, gloves, litter grabbers, and vests for volunteers. The City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department and Durham County General Services Department ensure that all collected litter is properly recycled or sent to the landfill.

About the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District
The Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District seeks to conserve, enhance and promote the natural resources of Durham County by providing technical assistance, environmental education information and economic incentives to County citizens and by exhibiting a diversified program to meet its changing needs. To learn more follow on Facebook and Twitter.

About Keep Durham Beautiful 
Keep Durham Beautiful is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the City of Durham General Services Department and Durham County to encourage residents, businesses, and community organizations to protect the environment and enhance the appearance of Durham through cleanup events, beautification projects, waste reduction, and educational activities. To learn more follow on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and Twitter.

About the Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division
The Stormwater and GIS Services Division with the City of Durham Public Works Department is guided by the City’s Strategic Plan goals of stewardship of the City’s physical and environmental assets and innovative and high-performing organization. Activities include storm drainage design and plans review; inspecting and maintaining City-owned drainage systems; enforcing stormwater ordinances and regulations; education and outreach; stream monitoring, restoration, and watershed master planning; maintaining multiple layers of the City’s geographic information; and stormwater billing. To learn more follow on Facebook and Twitter.