RICHMOND, Va. — Thousands of volunteers are preparing to clean up local waterways for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s annual Clean the Bay Day on May 2.
Before the big event, the foundation is teaming up with Richmond ToolBank to hold a cleanup event at Ancarrow’s Landing.
The event will give the groups a picture of the magnitude of the litter problem along the James River. Litter levels can vary depending on weather, use of the park, and rainstorms that wash trash down the river from upstream.
“The more rain we get, the more runoff we get,” Kate Lessin with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said. "And so if even if a piece of trash isn't near a waterway, it could eventually flow into our system and get down to the water. So just as climate is changing, we really want to highlight that and be like as we're getting more rain and more crazy weather effects, the more, more things will flow into the bay itself."
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation adds that trash, if not picked up, will eventually break down into microplastics in the bay.
Richmond ToolBank is also leading Richmond Shines, a month-long community cleanup effort in April. Community members will be able to pick up trash cleanup supplies for free to help the litter problem in local neighborhoods and parks.
If you would like to participate in Clean the Bay Day, you must sign up by April 18.
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