Shopping Carts, More Trash Removed From Little Hunting Creek

HYBLA VALLEY, VA — Volunteers removed nearly 10,000 pounds of trash from Little Hunting Creek during a cleanup on Saturday, May 1 hosted by state Sen. Scott Surovell and Friends of Little Hunting Creek.

According to Surovell's office, over 50 volunteers cleaned Little Hunting Creek at three sites in Hybla Valley: the Janna Lee Avenue Bridge over the creek, on Grackle Court in Audubon Estate, and at the Mount Vernon Shopping Plaza behind the Shoppers Food. The cleanup drew local residents as well as West Potomac and Mount Vernon High School students and Prince William County residents.

"I am grateful for the many volunteers that gave up their Saturday to help clean up their community," Surovell said. "Little Hunting Creek is still full of trash, but if we can remove a ton of trash one weekend, that’s a ton of trash that does not make it to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay."

The creek was named the trashiest stream by Fairfax County in 2007 for a reason. Located in southeastern Fairfax County and emptying into the Potomac River, Little Hunting Creek collects a significant amount of trash due to the presence of retail, insufficient storm water management systems, a significant homeless population, and concentration of apartments with trash containment problems. The trashiest section of Little Hunting Creek is considered to be the Lee District area west of Richmond Highway.

On Saturday, volunteers collected 70 bags of trash. The most common items were plastic beverages containers, discarded food containers, and plastic bags. Other odd items recovered included a motorbike, crutches, a pogo stick, swing, five balls, 13 tires, two chairs, two dirt bikes and a mattress. Over 170 plastic bags were found.

According to Surovell's office, volunteers observed animals swimming in the trash, highlighting the need to clean the natural environment.

The volunteers also pulled out six shopping carts from Aldi, Michaels, Bed Beth & Beyond, and Costco with help from Robert O’Hanlon’s Tree Service. Surovell said no Walmart shopping carts were found for the first time during cleanups. To date, 228 shopping carts have been pulled from Little Hunting Creek over 10 years.

Surovell hopes raising awareness about the litter problem can help reduce plastic bottle, bag and overall waste entering the creek.

"U.S. 1’s retailers continue to show a lack of interest in controlling shopping cart removal, minimizing plastic bag consumption, or disposable containers in the corridor," said Surovell. "We are also continuing to raise awareness about the Lee District trash and litter problem in Hybla Valley. If we continue to push this message, I hope we eventually see a reduction in plastic bottle, bag and overall waste in our streams."

The state senator said he has raised the shopping cart issue with retailers before. He noted state legislation will now allow Fairfax County to address abandoned carts with retailers and urged the county to implement a program. The state is also phasing in a ban of polystyrene foam cups and takeout food containers.

Since Surovell, the Friends of Little Hunting Creek and, the Alice Ferguson Foundation began the annual cleanup 10 years ago, over 12,000 pounds of trash have been collected.