Nearly 200 volunteers pitch in to pick up close to 2 tons of trash along SR-56

CEDAR CITY — More than 175 volunteers showed up on a Monday night to help clean up roadside trash along an approximately half-mile stretch of state Route 56 in Cedar City.

Volunteers get ready to help pick up trash along SR-56, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 31, 2020 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Iron County Landfill supervisor Bruce Anderson, who also pitched in to help, said nearly 2 tons of trash was picked up in three hours, enough to fill two large covered trash containers. 

“Great plan, great idea, great way to support our community,” Anderson said as he thanked those who participated.

Anderson said he suspects that a large portion of the roadside trash had blown out of vehicles – including garbage trucks – on the way out to the landfill. 

To that end, he offered a couple reminders for people to help ensure that doesn’t happen.

“First and foremost, bag your trash,” he said. “Even if the big trucks come and pick your trash up, put it in bags in your cans, and then it doesn’t blow out.”

The other tip relates to securing loads on personal vehicles on the way out to the landfill.

Volunteers help pick up trash along SR-56, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 31, 2020 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“When you come to the landfill, all loads should be covered,” he said.

Cedar City resident Jamie Cox Harline, who spearheaded the cleanup project, said she was pleased with the turnout.

“I wasn’t sure how many people would show up, but we had a ton of support,” she said. “Everyone was super safe and worked together as a team. I’m used to picking up garbage by myself, and to watch everyone picking up garbage at the same time, it was like a machine. It was so awesome.”

A wide variety of trash was collected, including bottles, cans, food containers, furniture, pieces of cardboard, plastic bags, broken electronics and household items. 

Harline, who lives in the area, says she’s looking forward to her next bicycle ride without having to look at so much trash.

Volunteers help pick up trash along SR-56, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 31, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Jamie Cox Harline, St. George News / Cedar City News

“I’m going to ride my bike, and I’m going to be happy now,” she said.

Dozens of volunteers of all ages participated in the project, including families. Two electronic signs were placed on the highway to warn motorists about the cleanup crew at work. Monday’s project focused on just the north side of SR-56 between about 3300 West and 3900 West, although some volunteers did work farther down the road to the west.

Harline said she hopes the project will inspire and motivate people to undertake similar cleanup efforts in their own neighborhoods. 

“Hopefully you’ll take this to the streets … you’ll notice a dirty road and just pick it up and clean up our city and make it beautiful,” she said.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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