8th Annual Delaware River Cleanup
NJ Clean Communities programs in Hunterdon, Mercer, and Sussex Counties, in collaboration with Delaware River Greenway Partnership (DRGP) and the NJ Park Service, successfully hosted the 8th Annual Delaware River Cleanup on September 20, 2025. Nearly 250 volunteers came together and collected 350 bags of trash along the Delaware River.
It was the treasure hunt nobody asked for: While volunteers collected the usual items—bottles, takeout containers, tires, construction debris, and diapers—they also uncovered some unusual finds:
Two oil tanks, a jet ski, a boat, slippers, a car quarter panel and engine parts, multiple carpets, furniture, including a beanbag chair, armchair, couches, and mattresses, a portable propane heater, a toilet bowl, an iPhone, and a dumpster
The cleanup effort spanned from the Delaware Water Gap down to Duck Island at the Abbott Marshlands in Hamilton, NJ, with an additional on-water cleanup conducted at the Giving Pond in Bucks County, PA. Across 20 locations—including the newly added Sussex site—volunteers rolled up their sleeves to help restore the river’s natural beauty and water health.
“When volunteers join together to clean our waterways, they strengthen both our environment and communities. In addition to the amazing volunteers, we have leaders like Jenny O’Sullivan and Jimmy Wyrough, both Clean Community Coordinators. We are fortunate to have their help, and their hard work was recognized with awards at the 20th Annual NJ Clean Communities Award Ceremony,” explained Kathy Klink, Cleanup Coordinator.
Please save the date for Saturday, September 19, 2026, for the 9th Annual Cleanup. The theme will coordinate with the Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You can also make a difference by picking up litter in your neighborhood. Every small effort helps protect our waterways and natural spaces.
If you see someone dumping or involved in illegal activities at any NJ State Park, call the NJDEP at 1-877-927-6337 (1-877-WARN DEP).
