Volunteers Needed For Keep Pasco Beautiful Cleanup

PASCO COUNTY, FL — An estimated 80 percent of the trash in Pasco County's waterways comes from land, according to Keep Pasco Beautiful coordinator Kristen King.

To prevent pollution from entering the county's waterways and the Gulf of Mexico, Keep Pasco Beautiful is seeking volunteers for the 2022 Keep Pasco Beautiful Cleanup.

The goal is to pick up litter on roadways and public spaces throughout Pasco so it's never able to make it into waterways, King said.

The cleanup is set for Saturday, Sept. 17, from 8 a.m. to noon at various locations around the county.

During the 2021 International Coastal Cleanup in Pasco County, 1,210 volunteers picked up 24,000 pounds of trash and litter at 52 locations along roadways, public spaces and waterways, logging 3,771 volunteer hours.

To volunteer, click here and register through Sept. 9. Disposable gloves, trash bags and Keep Pasco Beautiful Cleanup T-shirts will be provided while supplies last.

“We’re excited to have the support of so many community organizations,” said King. “Thanks to Rotary District 6950, in partnership with West Pasco Rotary Clubs of New Port Richey, Holiday, Hudson, Seven Springs, Trinity and West Pasco Sunset, for providing grant funding for this year’s event.”

This event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup coordinated by Ocean Conservancy. The worldwide event has collected more than 348 million pounds of trash with help from about 17 million volunteers since 1986.