CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Applications are now available for the 2021 West Virginia Make It Shine Spring Statewide Cleanup. The annual event is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP).

Normally held during the first two weeks of April, this year’s event was pushed back due to COVID-19 and will take place from May 1st – 15th. The Make It Shine program will provide resources such as cleanup materials, waste hauling, and landfill fees to community groups volunteering to conduct litter cleanups in state streams or on public lands.

The WVDEP encourages all volunteers to wear a mask and stay socially distant during their cleanups in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

More than 4,300 volunteers participated in the 2019 statewide spring cleanup, removing nearly 180 tons of litter and over 2,000 tires from West Virginia’s landscape. The 2020 cleanup was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications are available online here and are due April 2. For more information, contact Chris Cartwright at DEPwvmis@wv.gov or by phone at 1-800-322-5530.

This event is completely dependent on volunteers, so sign up today and help make West Virginia shine!

REAP, whose new motto is ‘Keeping WV Clean and Green,’ was created in 2005 and strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts. More information is available on the REAP webpage: https://dep.wv.gov/environmental-advocate/reap/Pages/default.aspx.