Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Last Saturday morning, more than 1,500 volunteers helped remove about 41 tons of trash from Chattahoochee waterways and riverbanks.

The trash was cleaned up during the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s 15th annual Sweep the Hooch volunteer cleanup. During the cleanup, volunteers walk, wade and paddle their way along the Hooch to help remove any litter or dumped garbage they find.

Tammy Bates, Outings Director for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, said they set a new record for both the number of volunteers and the amount of trash removed. She said the event has gotten bigger and bigger each year since they began.

Over the last 15 years, the event has removed 309 tons of trash in total.

LaGrange had three clean-up sites removing trash from West Point Lake and the surrounding waters. The Georgia Park crew removed 1120 lbs of trash. Pyne Road Park volunteers removed a whopping 3,300 lbs of trash and Sunny Point removed 760 lbs.

The community involvement is what really makes the event special, Bates said.

“We’re spread over 200 river miles, so we have sites all the way up in Helen through Lake Lanier, through Metro Atlanta and all the way down to Columbus. So it has become one really big day of service,” Bates said.

Another record breaker that’s not good news is they pulled out 369 tires out of all the different sites.

“That’s more than any we’ve ever done, which is unfortunate,” Bates said. “Illegal dumping is still very much a problem.”

Next year’s Sweep the Hooch will be held on March 21, 2026. Registration always opens on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, Bates said.

The cleanup runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration is required because each site has a capacity based on the project. They don’t want 100 people showing up for a site that only needs 20.

“It is free to participate, although we appreciate donations,” Bates said. “This event could not happen without the support of our sponsors, our hosting partners and especially the team leaders at each site who make the plan work. Without this teamwork, Sweep simply could not happen.”