Thousands pick up trash in Alabama Coastal Cleanup

Thousands of people volunteered several hours Saturday morning picking up trash along Alabama’s coastal waterways and beaches.

The 32nd annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup was held at more than 30 locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Volunteers took “trash out of the splash,” recycling as much of it as possible.

“It’s very important to the communities,” said Amy Hunter, one of the zone captains for the Alabama Coastal Cleanup. “It changes behavior, creating a connection to our waterways. It makes everything looks better.”

Thousands volunteer for Alabama Coastal Cleanup 2019 from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup was coordinated through the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources State Lands Division, Coastal Section, and the Alabama People Against A Littered State (PALS). Organizers say more than 87,000 volunteers have assisted in this event since Alabama joined the International Coastal Cleanup in 1987.

“We have folks from Alabama Power and several other companies throughout the area who volunteer their time, pick up the trash and transport it to the dumpsters,” Hunter said. “This can’t happen without them.”

Employees from Alabama Power prepare to clean up areas around the Mobile Bay Causeway. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

Volunteers pick up trash during the 2019 Alabama Coastal Cleanup. (Dennis Washington/Alabama NewsCenter)

Volunteers collect trash during the 2019 Alabama Coastal Cleanup. (Dennis Washington/Alabama NewsCenter)

Volunteers across Mobile and Baldwin counties pick up trash during the 2019 Alabama Coastal Cleanup. (Dennis Washington/Alabama NewsCenter)

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is the largest one-day volunteer event in Alabama. (Dennis Washington/Alabama NewsCenter)

Volunteers pick up trash along the Mobile Bay Causeway. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

Employees of Alabama Power, along with their families, volunteer their time to help pick up trash during the 2019 Alabama Coastal Cleanup. (Dennis Washington/Alabama NewsCenter)

Volunteers pick up trash along the Mobile Bay Causeway. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

Employees from Alabama Power clean up areas around the Mobile Bay Causeway. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is made possible by the generosity of many businesses, including Alabama Power Company, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ike’s Beach Service, Airbus, LogoBranders, Bebo’s, LuLu’s, city of Gulf Shores, city of Orange Beach, Riviera Utilities, Utility Board of Gulf Shores, Baldwin EMC, Flora-Bama, The Home Depot, Mobile Area Water and Sewer System, Evonik, ExxonMobil, Republic Services, Volkert Inc, Coastal Conservation Association Alabama, Compass Media, Coast 360, Alabama Department of Transportation, ALFA Insurance, Coca-Cola, Vulcan Materials, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Association of County Commissions of Alabama, Weeks Bay Foundation, Osprey Initiative and Thompson Engineering.

For more information about the Alabama Coastal Cleanup, visit AlabamaCoastalCleanup.com.