About National River Cleanup™

Millions of tons of trash end up in our nation’s rivers and streams every year from litter on the ground and illegal dump sites. Trash is more than just an eyesore; it can contaminate your drinking water and threaten the lives of all who depend on it. American Rivers hosts the National River Cleanup™ year round to help tens of thousands of volunteers across the country remove this trash and cleanup their local streams and rivers. 

National River Cleanup™ provides free trash bags, social media networking, volunteer engagement, and technical support to everyone who registers their cleanup and in return Cleanup Organizers submit their cleanup data and liability waivers back to American Rivers.

River Cleanups provide a fantastic way to connect citizens to their local river or stream. Most people see for the first time the harm caused by trash in their river at a river cleanup. They are transformed by the great sense of accomplishment after piling up their bags of trash.  They can also see the result of helping the environment in a relatively short period of time. 

Cleanups also provide an excellent way to educate volunteers on other problems your river is facing. Whether it be run-off, sewage overflow, gas drilling, or invasive species your captive audience will want to know “what else they can do” after the cleanup is over. This activity is also a great way to meet your neighbors and get some fresh air!

AARP Joins American Rivers in Promoting Volunteerism, Cleanups American Rivers is working with AARP to increase volunteerism through our National River Cleanup™ program with a new how-to video and toolkit, How to Organize a River Cleanup. Watch the video below or download the toolkit (PDF).  How To Organize a River Cleanup on Howcast