City of Columbus Crews to Launch Annual Spring Concentrated Litter Cleanup on Monday
For Immediate Release
April 12, 2014
For More Information:
Rick Tilton, Department of Public Service, 645-7263
John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798
Department of Public Service crews will begin their annual concentrated spring litter cleanup on Monday, April 14, at 119 locations citywide. The intensified effort to clean litter and debris from roadsides and elsewhere in the public right-of-way will go through May 2, 2014.
“City of Columbus employees are working hard to send the message that our roadsides are not public trash cans,” said Mayor Coleman. “Everyone can help Columbus become a cleaner and greener city by properly disposing of trash and picking up the litter left by others.”Between 2008 and 2013, Department of Public Service crews cleaned a total of 239 tons of litter from Columbus roadsides during their annual spring concentrated litter cleanups, including 43 tons of litter during their 2013 effort.
“Litter left behind by irresponsible people projects the image that we do not care about Columbus,” said Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, chair of the Environment Committee. “We know this is not true, so we must do our part make our city as clean and beautiful as possible.”The city employees who will conduct the intensified litter cleanup are the same employees who serve as Columbus’ Snow Warriors and pothole repair crews. These employees also sweep streets, cut grass and remove graffiti in the public right-of-way, and clean city bridge underpasses.
The City of Columbus also attacks litter with the Department of Public Service’s Keep Columbus Beautiful (KCB) program. KCB works with neighborhood, business, church and other groups to clean litter in Columbus between March and November of each year. The groups are responsible for recruiting volunteers for the cleanups; KCB provides trash bags, gloves, litter grabbers, rakes and other equipment for the cleanups. In 2013, 8,839 volunteers cleaned 172 tons of litter and debris in Columbus. Neighborhood groups who want to organize cleanups and work with KCB should call 645-3111.