BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Osprey Initiative recently removed 500 pounds of trash from its litter boom site in Mulga.
Osprey has 15 litter boom sites in Jefferson County that they clear after rainfall. The trash in the roadways is washed into storm drains that eventually end up in waterways.
Mitch Lowe is the regional manager for the Osprey Initiative. He said some of the sites collect 500 pounds in a year. This amount in Mulga was collected after one cleanup.
“I think Alabama is maybe the most biodiverse waterways in America. So we really want citizens of Alabama, residents of Jefferson County to be able to get out and enjoy the creek without having to wade through garbage, so it feels great to be able to do it,” said Lowe.
Lowe said the most common items collected are plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups, and fast food containers.
This story originally appeared on WBRC by Gillian Brooks. You can view the original story online here.