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The Congaree Riverkeepers 2023 Cleanup Summary

The Congaree Riverkeeper released its 2023 Cleanup Summary and we’re sharing the highlights by the numbers, key findings, and how you can get involved.

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The Congaree Riverkeeper hosts several clean-up events throughout the year. | Photo by COLAtoday

Table of Contents

The Congaree Riverkeeper released its 2023 Cleanup Summary and we’re sharing the top findings, litter-ally — ok, I’ll stop.

By the numbers

  • 14 successful cleanups
  • 225 volunteers collectively removed over 10,000 pounds of debris from rivers + streams within the watershed
  • 17,433 pieces of trash were documents on the Litter Journal app.

Key findings

  • Plastics dominated — over 50% of all items gathered were plastic.
  • Glass bottles and fragments comprised 20% of the collected items, with a significant portion hailing from a dedicated cleanup effort along the Congaree River.
  • Noteworthy large items retrieved included 26 tires, four shopping carts, and three TVs from local waterways.

Get involved

Sign up for the Congaree Riverkeeper’s volunteer email list to stay informed about upcoming cleanups.

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