The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and the WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium are hosting their annual Ohio River litter clean up Saturday.
Volunteers will remove trash from the riverbank in Newport along River Boat Row, covering nearly a mile. Then, volunteers will have the opportunity to see ORSANCO’s 2,200-pound freshwater aquarium filled with native fish.
The display is an educational initiative, showing the biodiversity that the Ohio River supports and how pollution and litter harm that. More than 160 species of fish live in the Ohio River, according to ORSANCO.
Last year, nonprofit American Rivers named the Ohio River as one of the most endangered in the country, due to pollution and climate change.
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Through Ohio River sweeps, ORSANCO informs volunteers about protecting the waterway.
During the 2023 Newport clean up, volunteers removed more than 1,500 pounds of litter from the Ohio River’s banks, according to a news release.
This Saturday’s river sweep is from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
The event is open to the public. Volunteers receive free t-shirts and lunch. You can register to volunteer at this link.