September 26, 2002

16 TONS OF TRASH:
 BIG SWEEP A BIG SUCCESS IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
 
Charlotte, NC – The final tally is in for Big Sweep 2002 in Mecklenburg County and it was a resounding success.  Big Sweep was held last Saturday, September 21.  Nearly 900 volunteers collected more than 16 tons of trash, helping restore the beauty and function of our creeks, streams and other waterways.  

After tallying up the amount of trash removed, here's the breakdown: 

·                    Volunteers: 872
·                    Bags of Trash Removed: 1,589
·                    Miles of Shoreline Cleaned: 110.25
·                    Estimated Pounds of Trash Removed: 33,769 

Items collected from the various clean-up sites include 253 tires, 92 pieces of plastic foam, a refrigerator, an engine block, 259 pieces of metal, one crock pot, two tables, lumber, two shopping carts, PVC pipe, carpet, etc. 

North Carolina Big Sweep is an annual, statewide event that calls volunteers to action to remove trash and debris from creeks, lakes and rivers. For the past decade, the Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program has organized this effort in Mecklenburg County.  Big Sweep is an ideal opportunity for citizens to get involved and take a stand against water pollution.  Big Sweep 2003 will be held on September 20, 2003.  Citizens are encouraged to mark it on their calendar next year and take part.  

 For more information or to register as a future Big Sweep volunteer, call the Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program at 704-336-5500.  You can also check the Web site www.ncbigsweep.org.