Overview
Since 2005, the Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of unsightly litter. The REAP initiative harbors all of the state cleanup programs within the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. REAP is a powerful force in the campaign against illegal dumping and littering.
The program derives its authority from the A. James Manchin Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan, pursuant to WV State Code §22-15A.
Get Involved
Help make West Virginia the cleanest state in the nation. For more information or to volunteer call: 1-800-322-5530
2025 Order Roadsides in Bloom Calendar
Use this form to request a free Roadsides in Bloom calendar. Calendars are available in limited quantities, and we must give preference to West Virginia residents. Please call 1-800-322-5530 if you have any questions.
Volunteers Needed for Great Kanawha River Cleanup
The annual Great Kanawha River Cleanup, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s WV Make It Shine Program,
is set for Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 from 9:00 AM to noon. Cleanup sites include Winfield Beach, St. Albans Roadside Park, the South
Charleston boat ramp, and Kanawha Falls at Glen Ferris.
Free Day at the Landfill
Most public landfills in West Virginia will offer days where residents can bring their rubbish without having to pay tipping fees. Check with your local Solid Waste Authority for more information.
REAP focuses on cleanup efforts from both program staff and volunteers statewide. In a unique partnership, the program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial, and resource assistance in cleanup efforts.
Adopt a Highway
The Adopt-A-Highway Program is co-sponsored by the Division of Highways and the Department of Environmental Protection. It was established in the late 1980s to improve the quality of our
environment by encouraging public involvement in the elimination of highway litter.
The program offers volunteers the opportunity to take charge of their environment
by making a positive effort to create a cleaner, more aesthetic place in which to live.
Adopt a Stream
The Adopt-A-Stream Program is sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection. It was established in 2023 and is housed in the DEP’s REAP Program. The program’s goal is to improve the quality
of our environment by encouraging public involvement in the elimination of stream litter. Its objective is to save taxpayers money by increasing public awareness and to serve as an educational tool by
focusing on the consequences which result when stream littering is allowed to continue unchecked. The program offers volunteers the opportunity to take charge of their environment by making a positive
effort to create a cleaner, more aesthetic place in which to live.
Covered Electronic Devices
Manufacturer and Retailer Compliance Information
Senate Bill 746, which became effective June 6, 2008, requires each manufacturer wishing to sell or lease covered electronic devices to register with the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection no later than the first day of January, 2009 and each year thereafter. The purpse is to establish a registration process for manufacturers of covered electronic devices to
determine if manufacturers have adopted or implemented a takeback/recycling program for their products that is free to the public.
Dilapidated Properties Program
WVDEP REAP Dilapidated Properties Program is working in collaboration with municipalities and county commissions to identify, demolish, and reclaim dilapidated properties across the state of West Virginia. Together, we are turning liabilities into opportunities, one dilapidated property at a time.
Grant Opportunities
The Recycling section was established in 1989 to ensure compliance with the West Virginia Natural Resources Laws (Chapter 20, Article 11) before moving to the REAP program.
This section is responsible for administering the following programs which have been developed and implemented to meet our goals. We also provide support in the following areas:
public education programs and recycling market development.
Eligible parties may view and apply for REAP grants through the wvOASIS Vendor Self Service (VSS) system.
Pollution Prevention and Open Dump Program
The Open Dump Cleanup Program uses landfill fees to clean up illegal dumps and to gather evidence to prosecute illegal dumping activity. Currently the program has completed more than 15,000 projects
that have resulted in the removal of an estimated 147,000 tons of material, including 26,000 tons of steel, 62,000 appliances and over 2,000,000 tires. There are an estimated 15,000 open dumps across WV.
Recycling and Waste Reduction
Tracking of national municipal solid waste (MSW) generation rates began in 1960. At that time, the average rate was 2.7 lbs. per person per day. The national MSW per capita rate has been steadily increasing over the past decade. In 2010, our per capita MSW rate stood at 3.94. Our most recent data from 2020 shows that this number has increased to 4.73 lbs. per person per day.
Tire Collection Events
Each year, REAP's PPOD Program conducts tire collection events across the state. Atleast one collection event is held in each county. During these events, individuals with proof of WV residency can dispose of ten tires in a safe way. PPOD is also responsible for the removal of tires piles located across the state. During 2009, more than 400,000 tires were collected and/or removed from West Virginia's landscape.
WV Make It Shine Program
The WV Make It Shine Program is a comprehensive program aimed at making WV the cleanest state in the nation. Throughout the state, groups of volunteers, businesses, community organizations, and local governments are working to accomplish this goal. It is the responsibility of the WV Make It Shine Program to coordinate the effort of these people to make our state shine. The WV Make It Shine Program is involved in several events each year.
Meet the Elkins Make It Shine Scarecrow created by Melodee Price, Elkins Make It Shine Coordinator. The REAP Make It Shine themed scarecrow is fashioned with a trash can for a head,
gloves, a litter grabber tool, REAP high visibility shirt, a REAP bag and of course, a mask.
You can view this scarecrow and others for two weeks on downtown street during the City of Elkins Annual Scarecrow Festival.
Make It Shine Scarecrow
Make It Shine Scarecrow and Mayor Van Broughten