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SC CHALLENGE PICKS UP 5,288,413 POUNDS OF TRASH AND RECYCLABLES

Volunteers Surpass Goals Set for a Record Year

Columbia, SC – The Great American Cleanup of SC (GAC) challenged South Carolina to lose 2 million pounds of trash from our communities.  Between trash and recycles, 23,269 volunteers surpassed that goal by 250%.  Keep South Carolina Beautiful reports that while that number is high, the amount of recyclable materials outweighed the amount of trash collected.

“The fact that less trash verses recyclables was collected this year indicates that there is less trash to be collected,” said Sarah Robinson, director of Keep South Carolina Beautiful.  “We had more volunteers this year and three times as much material recycled than actual trash picked up.”

The economic impact of the GAC carries significant cost avoidance to local government budgets.  Volunteer efforts saved local governments an estimated $859,320 in operating funds.

“We have seen a significant change in behavior in regards to litter in South Carolinians over the past 6 years,” said Richard Cothran, Director of Operations for PalmettoPride, the parent organization to KSCB.  “The 2007 GAC is proof that our programs are working and people want to get involved.”

Close to ten thousand more volunteers joined the GAC this year than previous years.  The total amount of trash picked up was 1,308,396 pounds, while 3,980,017 pounds of plastic, cans and newspapers were recycled.

“Recycling efforts have soared over the years.  It is encouraging to know that folks grasp the importance of recycling items rather than throwing them in landfills.  Our landfills are filling up quickly,” Robinson said.

The Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest cleanup event.  It lasts every March through May and is sponsored by Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

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Keep South Carolina Beautiful is a division of PalmettoPride and the state affiliate for Keep

America Beautiful, Inc.  For more information, please log onto www.palmettopride.org.