5th Annual Great Lakes CleanUP

5th Annual
Great Lakes CleanUP
Spring 2025.
PartnerUP & Volunteer!

The Great Lakes CleanUP is a collaboration with organizations throughout the Great Lakes Basin partnering to protect clean water through trash removal and data collection each spring.

Join Our CleanUP Community

Our latest Great Lakes CleanUP was a sweeping success! In 2024 we had 7,103 volunteers clean up the shorelines of our Great Lakes. Our 17 partner organizations helped remove 119,374 pounds of trash from our shorelines to prevent tens of thousands of cigarette butts, plastic bags and pieces of Styrofoam from entering our Great Lakes.

Our latest Great Lakes Cleanup has been a sweeping success! In 2023 alone, we had 7,256 volunteers clean up the shorelines of our Great Lakes. We collected over 133,240 pounds of litter across 9,000 acres. Among the trash, we prevented tens of thousands of cigarette butts, plastic bags and pieces of Styrofoam from entering our Great Lakes.

Our first two years of the Great Lakes Cleanup were a sweeping success! 7,962 volunteers helped clean up the shorelines of our Great Lakes. We collected over 146,502 pounds of litter across 9,000 acres. Among the trash, we prevented tens of thousands of cigarette butts, plastic bags and pieces of styrofoam from entering our Great Lakes.

The 2021 inaugural Great Lakes CleanUP was a sweeping success! Nearly 3,000 volunteers helped clean up the shorelines of our Great Lakes. We collected over 72,350 pounds of litter across 4,500 acres. Among the trash, we prevented tens of thousands of cigarette butts, plastic bags and pieces of styrofoam from entering our Great Lakes.

Support For Our Efforts.

In 2020, the EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration program led to the creation of the Great Lakes CleanUP. Nearly $300,000 in funding began the process - led by Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper – of engaging agencies across the Great Lakes basin to help remove and track litter. Four years later, over 20 partner organizations continue the work around Earth Day to make sure we protect and restore our Great Lakes for everyone.