The 34th 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 a statewide all-day event on April 15, 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 335 Great American Cleanup community events in 2022, up from 138 previously. Keep Oklahoma Beautiful had 17,540 registered participants who collected more than 4 million pounds of litter and cleaned nearly 1,500 miles of roads. The department spends nearly $6 million in taxpayer dollars annually to combat litter along state highways and interstates while the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority spends about $1 million annually to clean along toll roads. Those totals do not include the hundreds of volunteer hours spent fighting litter across the state.
“Spring is a great time of year to bring volunteers and communities together for such an important event. It amazes me every year how many Oklahomans come together to work toward a cleaner state,” ODOT Beautification Coordinator Melody Johnson said.
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful provides TRASH-OFF supplies and promotional items to participants, including cash grants, trash bags, gloves 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 be aware of location, practice safety awareness, use gloves at all times and keep any children closely supervised when participating in the cleanup efforts.
Keep America Beautiful recognized ODOT and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority with the national 2022 State Agency Partnership Recognition Award for both agency’s continued involvement with the Great American Cleanup.
Oklahoma’s Great American Cleanup is sponsored by ODOT, OTA, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, OG&E, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Warren CAT, Waste Management, Lowe’s, Oklahoma Beverage Association, Oklahoma Shirt Company and Pepsi.
CAPTION: The 34th ODOT TRASH-OFF is scheduled statewide for April 15. To register for this event or the Great American Cleanup, groups, counties and individuals may join online at www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com or call 405-286-9141.
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