EU Delegation Collects 1,500 Pounds of Trash in Washington, D.C.

As part of the annual global #EUBeachCleanUp campaign, and on the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup and World Cleanup Days (September 17, 2022), the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and Anacostia Riverkeeper organized a trash cleanup along the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.

The efforts of more than 100 volunteers stopped over 1,500 pounds of trash — including 151 pounds of plastic single-use bottles and 384 pounds of glass — from entering the Anacostia River, Chesapeake Bay, and Atlantic Ocean! To see more photos from the event, view our Flickr album.
 

Two girls wearing EU hats and holding trash bags pose for the camera.

 

As a follow-up to this event, and as part of the upcoming Climate Diplomacy Weeks, the EU Delegation is also organizing a panel discussion titled “Towards a Healthy Ocean: EU-U.S. Action for a Blue Planet,” in which we discuss ocean health and efforts to tackle the interconnected climate, biodiversity, and pollution challenges. Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Charlina Vitcheva will be a featured speaker. Registration is now live!

 

A young man picks up trash in front of a sign that says "Working Toward a Trash Free Anacostia River."

Four individuals hold up an EU flag at Kenilworth Park in D.C.

Two volunteers carry bags of trash through Kenilworth Park.

A group of volunteers in EU shirts and hats carry trash through a park.