Greenwood County Cleanup Efforts Continue
Volunteers collected 26 bags of litter during a cleanup near Buzzards Roost on September 19. The most common items found included fishing line, worm containers, drink bottles, cans, and snack bags, according to Amber Nappier, litter coordinator for Greenwood County.
Greenwood County Council District 5 member Dayne Pruitt sponsored the cleanup as part of an ongoing series of council-led litter pickups. The effort began at the Buzzards Roost area, with some volunteers working around fishing accesses and the riverbank, while another group used kayaks on the water.
This event marked the first time Keep Greenwood County Beautiful organized a river cleanup in this format, Nappier stated. Keep Greenwood County Beautiful previously collaborated with Keep Laurens County Beautiful on a land-based cleanup along the Saluda River in Ware Shoals, specifically around Irvine Pitts Park. Kayaks are also utilized during cleanups on Lake Greenwood in partnership with Keep Laurens County Beautiful and Preserving Lake Greenwood.
Litter in waterways poses concerns beyond aesthetics. Plastic and Styrofoam can break down into microplastics, which disrupt ecosystems and affect water quality. Discarded fishing line presents an immediate danger to wildlife; rescuers have observed waterfowl tangled in line, sometimes necessitating amputation.
So far this year, city and county council cleanups have removed approximately 3,200 pounds of litter across seven events, with about 60 volunteers participating, Nappier reported. Greenwood County’s Litter Index score has decreased from 2.1 in 2021 to 1.3, indicating a reduction in visible litter.