The annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup will look very different this year.
The 33rd annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup will not be a one-day, in-person event as usual because of COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings.
Instead, it will be a month-long campaign in September.
“All Delawareans and visitors are encouraged to make a special effort during September to keep our communities and natural areas in Delaware clean and support the Governor’s “Keep Delaware Litter Free” initiative. Volunteers can go out and report their findings all month long,” said Nikki Lavoie - chief of public affairs for Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).
Lavoie says volunteers will be able to report their findings on the Delaware Coastal Cleanup app. Details about that app will be released later this month.
Lavoie says DNREC is suggesting several ways that volunteers can make a difference all month-long in September, including picking up trash near your home to keep your neighborhood clean and packing a disposable bag and rubber gloves when you take a walk, go for a hike or bike ride to collect and carry out trash you may find along the way.
She notes that any and all trash picked up should be disposed of properly in your own homes’ trash or recyclable bins.
Lavoie also points out that people should also wear face coverings when you’re near others - out picking up trash next month.
Last year’s Coastal Cleanup drew an estimated 2,000 volunteers who collected 3.6 tons of trash and recyclables littering more than 125 miles of Delaware’s waterways and coastline.
