CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Make It Shine Program is recruiting volunteers for the annual Kanawha River Cleanup, which helps collect and properly dispose of tons of litter along this major waterway.
The kick-off event is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Cleanup sites can be located along the banks of the Kanawha River in Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, or Mason Counties. WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) will supply bags and gloves and haul away collected litter and debris. All volunteers will receive an event T-shir
Cleanups can also be scheduled after the kick-off event through the month of October, provided volunteers receive prior approval from the WVDEP.
To coordinate a site cleanup or volunteer, contact event coordinator Chris Cartwright by calling (304) 389-8389 or by email at christopher.j.cartwright@wv.gov. Volunteers can also register online here:
apps.dep.wv.gov/ppod/kanawha_river_cleanup.a5w.