RALEIGH – North Carolina residents are invited to help clean up roadsides, so trash doesn’t overshadow our state’s natural beauty entering the fall foliage season.
The N.C. Department of Transportation is calling on volunteers to join the 2026 Fall Litter Sweep, scheduled for Sept. 12–26, to help remove litter along state-maintained roads and keep communities clean.
“Even with NCDOT crews, contractors and Adopt-A-Highway volunteers working year round to maintain more than 80,000 miles of roadway, litter remains a challenge,” said Jeremy Goodwin, NCDOT’s roadside environmental engineer. “We’re proud of the volunteers who step up each season to help bridge that gap. The Fall Litter Sweep is a great opportunity for folks across the state to get outdoors, work together and help preserve our state’s beauty one pickup at a time.”
The statewide cleanup initiative, held each spring and fall, equips volunteers with free supplies, including trash bags, gloves and safety vests, to organize litter pickups in their communities.
NCDOT's maintenance crews and other staff will also dedicate the week to removing roadside debris and collecting the bags filled by volunteers.
Cleanup supplies can be requested through local NCDOT county maintenance yard offices. For questions, contact your local NCDOT litter program coordinator.
To learn more, visit the Litter Sweep webpage, and share your cleanup experience on social media using #LitterSweepNC.