Highway cleanup event aims to collect thousands of bags of trash from Alberta highways

Volunteers helped gather garbage from the side of many different highways in Alberta on Saturday.

CALGARY — A team of volunteers, made up of different community organizations throughout Alberta, will be picking up garbage and litter from Alberta's highways throughout the day on Saturday.

The 45th annual highway cleanup, which runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 1, involves volunteers collecting trash left alongside highways throughout the province.

In addition to making Alberta a lot cleaner, organizations that participate have the opportunity earn $100 per kilometre cleaned during the event.

All volunteers, who must be at least nine years old, involved in the clean up will be wearing bright orange safety vests and motorists are advised to keep a lookout for them.

They are instructed to slow down, obey all posted signage and use caution when passing near the crews.

Meanwhile, all of the participants are told to follow all COVID-19 health guidelines including masking and physical distancing.

The province says it contributed more than $920,000 to organizations involved in last year's cleanup event and more than 32,000 bags of garbage was collected from more than 9,000 kilometres of roadways.