The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting registrations for the 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Spring Statewide Cleanup set for April 27.
Co-sponsored by the WVDEP and the state Division of Highways, the Adopt-A-Highway program is administered by the WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan and improves the quality of the state’s environment by encouraging public involvement in the elimination of highway litter.
Individuals, families, churches, businesses, schools, civic organizations, government agencies and communities can register to pick up trash on almost any state-maintained road, back road, or main route. Private roads and interstate highways cannot be adopted.
The Adopt-A-Highway program provides garbage bags, work gloves and safety vests to volunteers, and takes care of disposing of collected trash. Volunteers must be at least 12 years old to participate. One-time cleanups are encouraged but must be registered.
Groups must register in advance by April 17 and inform their local DOH garage if they need supplies. Supplies may be picked up during normal business hours at the local DOH Garage.
To register, call 1-800-322-5530 or send an email to dep.aah@wv.gov. If a person reaches the REAP voicemail, please leave one’s name, phone number, group name, date of cleanup, number of participants, and the county where the adopted road is located.
The 2023 Adopt A Highway spring cleanup saw nearly 3,000 volunteers from more than 300 groups and removed more than 85,000 pounds of litter from more than 600 miles of roadway.
REAP, whose motto is “Keeping WV Clean and Green,’ was created in 2005 and strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts.
More information is available on the REAP webpage.