The 33rd annual Oklahoma TRASH-OFF is open for registration, part of a goal to keep Oklahoma free of litter as volunteers spring into the season. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful are once again partners for the event, which is part of the national three-month annual Great American Cleanup. TRASH-OFF is included in ODOT’s vision of eliminating litter on state highways and interstates. TRASH-OFF is a statewide all-day event on April 16, and the Great American Cleanup is open to all communities and volunteers through May 31. To register for either event, groups, counties and individuals may join online at www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com or call 405-286-9141. Keep Oklahoma Beautiful was able to partner with 138 Great American Cleanup community events in 2021, up from 49 previously. Keep Oklahoma Beautiful had 9,320 participants who collected nearly 3 million pounds of litter and cleaned nearly 6,000 miles of roads, more than a 1,700 percent increase from the year before. Typically, year-long contributions save the state more than $5 million a year in cleanup savings as a result of these volunteer efforts.
“We are so grateful to our volunteers who continue to keep our communities beautiful,” ODOT Beautification Coordinator Melody Johnson said. “I am amazed at the increase in numbers and the pride each of these groups take in keeping the state litter free.”
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful provides TRASH-OFF supplies and promotional items to participants, including cash grants, trash bags and water donations. ODOT distributes the supplies to each of its 77 county maintenance yards where they are picked up by volunteers. This year’s participants are advised to use gloves at all times, practice social distancing, limit groups to 10-20 individuals and keep any children closely supervised when participating in the cleanup efforts.
Keep America Beautiful recognized ODOT and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority with the national 2021 State Agency Partnership Recognition Award for ODOT’s continued involvement with the Great American Cleanup. Both ODOT and OTA also earned this national honor in 2020.
Oklahoma’s Great American Cleanup is sponsored by ODOT, OTA, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, OG&E, PSO, Warren CAT, Oklahoma Beverage Association and Pepsi Bottling.
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