Over 1,600 Volunteers Take Part in the Great Suffolk Cleanup

Suffolk, VA. Volunteers across all seven boroughs of Suffolk united for the Great Suffolk Cleanup on March 27 and 28. Organized by Keep Suffolk Beautiful, this two-day initiative encouraged individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to take pride in their community by removing litter from neighborhoods, roadways, and public spaces. Participants were provided with essential cleanup supplies including litter grabbers, safety vests, bags, and gloves.

Collectively, 1,662 volunteers filled 1,775 bags of litter and debris, removed 635 tires, and collected a total of 58,025 pounds of waste from across the city.

Daniel McDonald, who coordinated the cleanup effort, shared, “This is what community pride looks like. We had an incredible turnout, and every single volunteer made a real impact across Suffolk. A special thank you goes to our Refuse team—their behind-the-scenes work ensured everything collected was quickly and properly removed. This effort simply wouldn’t be possible without them.”

Common items found were fast food containers and beverages, but volunteers also reported a variety of unusual finds, including a moped discovered behind a port-a potty at a trailhead, an infant car seat, a microwave oven, a bicycle child carrier, crab legs, and a broken drone.

The Great Suffolk Cleanup continues to grow as a citywide tradition. A gallery of cleanup photos submitted by participants is available at www.suffolkva.us/cleanup.