What We Do / Litter and Debris Clean-ups

Protecting the health of the French Broad River watershed

Public Cleanups

Workday Requests

Adopt-a-Street

DIY Cleanups

Trash Trout

By keeping litter out of our rivers, we keep our waterways and oceans healthier and improve our climate resilience.

Donate to Protect our Local Waterways

Join a Public Cleanup Event

Every year, Buncombe County residents and visitors join us to clean up tens of thousands of pounds of litter out of our rivers and streams and off our local roads. You can join one of our public river and road cleanups, request a guided cleanup for your group or team (limited availability), or borrow supplies to venture out on your own.

Kid with canoe helps with keystone river cleanup

Clean Streams Day

Since 1976, we’ve celebrated the start of summer paddling season with this keystone river cleanup. We hold the cleanup in May to honor the birthday of local author and environmental advocate Wilma Dykeman and to celebrate her contributions to the French Broad watershed.

volunteers cheer and pull trash from river Asheville

WNC Big Sweep

Every year in October, we close out cleanup season with this high-energy multi-county effort to get the litter out of our most important creeks and streams.

Join our newsletter to stay up-to–date on our upcoming public cleanup events.

Join the Newsletter

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Get Supplies for Your DIY Cleanup

Want to clean up your own street or stream? We’ve got you covered. You can check out safety vests, gloves, trash bags, trash grabbers, and sharps containers from our office.

Teens clean up trash along roadway Asheville

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Cleanup Dos and Don'ts

Syringe Safety

Record Your Clean-up

Ask about a Team-Building Activity or Service Project for Your Group

We are happy to host guided clean-ups for private groups and teams. A GreenWorks staff member will pick the spot, set your group up with the necessary equipment and materials, and guide the experience.

For more information on how you can sponsor a private clean-up, please contact volunteer@ashevillegreenworks.org.

People are seen releasing a tire into a river during a cleanup event surrounded by green trees.

Adopt-a-Street

Since 2007, Asheville GreenWorks has partnered with the City of Asheville to support our Asheville neighbors who are committed to keeping our home litter-free. Adopters agree to clean their City street at least six times a year, for a minimum of one year. With a three-year commitment, the City of Asheville will create and install a road sign identifying you, your group, or your business as the adopter of the street.

Each year, dedicated adopters remove thousands of pounds of litter from our roadsides through this program!

Contact adopt-a-street@ashevillenc.gov to learn more.

Trash Trouts™ are litter-collection devices that sit in urban creeks and streams to keep roadside litter from polluting downstream waterways. Trash Trouts™ make litter cleanup easier for city stormwater managers, neighborhood associations, water- and riverkeepers, — and help waterway guardians educate and inspire their communities to get involved.