Volunteers picked up trash at Fox Point State Park, one of 45 sites cleaned during the 2022 Delaware Coastal Cleanup. /DNREC photo.

Volunteers throughout the state are encouraged to join the 2023 Delaware Coastal Cleanup, the annual one-day coordinated statewide trash cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon, with online volunteer registration opening today. Hosted by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and now in its 36th year, the event will be held at 45 sites to help keep Delaware’s beaches and waterways free of trash.

In addition, Delawareans and visitors are invited to join the month-long campaign starting Sept. 1 to clean up neighborhoods, green spaces and waterways statewide on days, times and at locations of their choice. The coordinated event and month-long campaign support Governor John Carney’s Keep DE Litter Free initiative.

“Four years after the launch of our Keep DE Litter Free initiative, we are seeing Delawareans of all ages and communities coming together to keep our neighborhoods, coastlines and outdoor spaces clear of litter,” Governor Carney said. “Over 1,200 volunteers came out to last year’s Delaware Coastal Cleanup to help in our statewide cleanup efforts. Thank you to all volunteers who participate in our efforts to keep our state beautiful.”

“Last year, the number of volunteers who joined us to pick up trash from our beaches, waterways and wetlands doubled. This year, we hope that even more Delawareans and visitors of all ages will give their time for one day to make a difference,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We also continue to encourage volunteers to make every day a cleanup day in Delaware during the month of September – and throughout the year.”

For the Sept. 23 coordinated cleanup, volunteers should sign up by Friday, Sept. 1 for their choice of sites through the Coastal Cleanup page at de.gov/coastalcleanup. Walkups are not encouraged due to volunteer site capacity limitations.

Site captains with supplies will be on site to sign in volunteers and provide supplies, trash bags and directions. Although gloves, paper data cards and pens will be available upon request, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves and to use the online Coastal Cleanup reporting tool, when it goes live Sept. 1, to share their findings. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own five-gallon buckets to collect trash, emptying the buckets into consolidated trash bags to reduce the number of plastic bags going to landfills.

Find ideas about how to get involved in the 2023 Delaware Coastal Cleanup on Facebook and Twitter. Volunteers in both the coordinated event on Sept. 23 and the month-long campaign can post photos on facebook.com/DelawareDNREC for a chance to win a 2023 Delaware State Parks pass and a prize bag. Volunteers can post photos as often as they like throughout the month, with each photo counting as a one entry. All volunteers should also report their findings and are invited to share photos through the Coastal Cleanup page. Results will be updated during all month long and will appear on an interactive map.

Last year, 1,180 volunteers cleaned up 6,248 pounds of trash from waterways, wetlands and other natural areas. The top five trash items collected were: 12,280 cigarette butts; 4,986 plastic and glass beverage bottles and cans; 4,852 food wrappers and containers; 300 balloons, and 459 plastic bags, half the number from the year before.

Cleaning up locally makes a big difference statewide and keeps trash from entering waterways and making its way to beaches and beyond. DNREC suggests several ways to help make a difference all year long:

• Be proactive by picking up trash near your home to keep your neighborhood clean.
• Follow a carry-in/carry out plan and take all trash with you when visiting outdoor spaces, like Delaware State Parks, DNREC wildlife areas, Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve locations, and county or local parks.
• Pack a bag and rubber gloves when you take a walk, go for a hike, go hunting or fishing, etc., to collect and carry out trash you find along the way.
• Recycle applicable items through in-home recycling or designated drop-off locations. Learn more at de.gov/recycling.

DNREC reminds everyone to wear gloves when picking up trash, wash hands thoroughly after cleanup activities. More information and volunteer registration can be found at de.gov/coastalcleanup. Volunteers also can email questions to DNREC_Coastal_Cleanup@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

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To encourage northern Delaware volunteers to get outside and clean up, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in partnership with the Christina Conservancy has extended the month-long Christina River Watershed Cleanup campaign an extra two weeks through Saturday, May 15. The date coincides with the Wilmington Community Cleanup Day taking place in neighborhoods throughout the city.

The 2021 Christina Cleanup campaign mobilizes volunteers to safely clean up their communities by picking up trash in their own neighborhoods, on beaches and along waterways within northern New Castle County, from Brandywine Hundred south through Glasgow and Bear. No pre-registration is needed for this year’s campaign. Volunteers are asked to clean up debris, like cigarette butts, beverage containers, food wrappers and more, that easily end up in waterways and ultimately in the ocean.

While large groups are discouraged, volunteers will have greater freedom to select when, where, and how often their household participates. They can see locations, document their findings and share photos in the cleanup’s mobile-friendly online volunteer hub at Christina Cleanup Campaign.

Volunteers can also find ideas about how to get involved in the 2021 Christina River Watershed Cleanup on Facebook and Twitter. Volunteers can post photos on facebook.com/ChristinaCleanup for a chance to win a 2021 Delaware State Parks pass. Each photo post counts as an entry. Volunteers can post as often as they like throughout the month.

Important Reminders:

• Pick up trash near your home along streets, roadways, and in natural areas and open spaces.
• Know your limitations and be aware of possibly hazardous areas, including along roadways, streambanks, and steep or slippery slopes.
• Pack a disposable bag and rubber gloves whenever you take a walk or go hiking, to collect and carry out trash you find along the way.
• Always Recycle Right. Only recycle clean items through curbside recycling or designated drop-off locations. Items with lots of dirt or grit attached or inside should be placed in your household trash.

Avoid These Actions:

• Don’t enter private property without permission of the landowner.
• Don’t place yourself in any danger while volunteering for the Christina River Cleanup.
• Don’t collect any trash that your household waste hauler might not accept. Tires, construction materials, and metal drums may be unacceptable.

For more information, visit Christina River Watershed Cleanup or email ChristinaRiverCleanup@gmail.com.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov, Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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DOVER – Online volunteer registration is now open for the 32nd annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup, to be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 14. Sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the cleanup spans the First State’s 97-mile eastern coastline and includes river and ocean shorelines as well as wetland and watershed areas. This year, volunteers will focus on more than 45 sites in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties for cleanup.

Individual volunteers and groups are strongly encouraged to preregister on DNREC’s website at de.gov/coastalcleanup to ensure enough supplies are readied for each site. Preregistration will close Monday, Sept. 2.

Groups of 10 volunteers or more also are asked to contact Delaware Coastal Cleanup Coordinator Joanna Wilson by phone at 302-739-9902, or by emailing joanna.wilson@delaware.gov, or to contact the appropriate zone captain listed on the website for advance site placement.

At last year’s Coastal Cleanup, 1,115 dedicated volunteers from civic organizations, youth groups, businesses and families collected 2.7 tons of trash from 42 sites along Delaware’s shorelines and tributaries. Cleanup volunteers’ more unusual finds included a dishwasher, a message in a bottle from 2007, a knife in a sheath, mattress springs, scissors, charcoal grill, pirate hat, car muffler, beach chair, bushel baskets, street sign, key card, glow stick, ink cartridge, pacifier, pith helmet, car console, golf club handle, metal canopy frame, a troll doll, a Nintendo game controller, and a Rubik’s Cube.

Delaware’s Cleanup is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, the world’s largest annual clearing of trash from coastlines, rivers, streams, and lakes by volunteers. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world help each year to rid the environment of marine debris and collect detailed information on the types and quantities of refuse they find. Information is recorded on data cards and sent to the Center for Marine Conservation, which compiles data for all cleanups to help identify debris sources and focus efforts on eliminating or reducing marine debris. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org.

For more information about the Delaware Coastal Cleanup, please call DNREC Public Affairs at 302-739-9902.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 49, No. 202

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DOVER – Got any empty plastic jugs, frosting tubs, or candy containers waiting to be recycled? A new series of quick, fun videos on the DNREC YouTube Channel shows you some clever ways to reuse and repurpose these items instead of putting them in your recycling cart.

That big plastic jug? Turn it into a watering can.

A plastic ready-made frosting tub leftover from that birthday cake you made last week? It’s the perfect size to hold pencils and pens on your desk – and it’s easy to customize.

After you finish mints, fruity sours, or candy, those little round containers can hold ear buds, change, pills or vitamins, jewelry, or other small items to keep them from getting lost or tangled in your pocket or purse.

Start with a clean container with labels removed – use some goo-gone or other adhesive remover as needed. Then, with some fine-pointed permanent markers and a little creativity, you’ll have a unique item ready for a new life.

To see how it’s done, check out the video series on the DNREC YouTube Channel, and for directions and more inspiration, visit de.gov/repurpose.

CONTACT: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 113

DOVER – The DNREC-sponsored 31st annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup held Sept. 22 drew 1,115 volunteers, who collected 2.7 tons of trash and recyclables from 42 sites along more than 68 miles of Delaware’s waterways and coastline stretching from Wilmington to Fenwick Island. For the first time in its history, the cleanup was moved to a rain date, due to Hurricane Florence.

“Each year, Delaware’s Coastal Cleanup helps make a difference for marine life and water quality – and it’s the hundreds of dedicated volunteers, many of whom come back year after year, who make the Cleanup an annual environmental success story,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “This year, we would like to extend a special thanks to the volunteers who rearranged their calendars to join us a week later than usual.”

This year, more than 21,547 pieces of food/beverage-related trash were picked up, including 3,509 food wrappers, 2,361 plastic beverage bottles, 1,203 beverage cans, 712 glass bottles and 2,882 paper, plastic and foam cups, plates and take-out containers. In a year when the numbers of most trash items were lower, the count of three plastic items increased: 2,738 straws, up from 1,898; 1,116 plastic lids, up from 993; and 7,026 plastic bottle caps, up from 4,636. Other notable items included 1,946 plastic bags, 32 tires, 235 shotgun shells, 8,885 cigarette butts and cigar tips, and 723 balloons.

Some of the more unusual items found during this year’s cleanup were: a dishwasher, a message in a bottle from 2007, a knife in a sheath, mattress springs, scissors, contact lens case, power cord, charcoal grill, pirate hat, utility knife, car muffler, beach chair, bushel baskets, street sign, key card, glow stick, ink cartridge, pacifier, pith helmet, car console, golf club handle, metal canopy frame, and a wide variety of clothing and shoes including sneakers, flip flops, and jeweled sandals, as well as numerous balls and toys, including a troll doll, an Incredibles action figure, a Nintendo game controller, and a Rubik’s Cube.

Delaware’s next Coastal Cleanup is set for Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. Registration will be posted on DNREC’s website next July, with groups of 10 or more encouraged to pre-register beginning May 1 by calling 302-739-9902 or emailing Delaware Coastal Cleanup Coordinator Joanna Wilson at Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

DNREC organizes Delaware’s Coastal Cleanup with co-sponsors including Edgewell Personal Care/Playtex Manufacturing Inc., which donates gloves; and Waste Management, which hauls trash and recyclables collected by volunteers. Delaware’s event is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. The types and quantities of trash collected are recorded on data cards and forwarded to the Center for Marine Conservation, which compiles the information to help identify debris sources and focus efforts on elimination or reduction. For more information, please visit www.oceanconservancy.org.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, at 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 336