By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
With more than 500 volunteers already signed up, Keep North Attleborough Beautiful’s 13th annual Great American Cleanup is on track for one of its largest turnouts yet.
The event will take place on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, bringing together the community for a coordinated effort to collect litter and debris across town.
“This is really our premier event — it’s what put Keep North Attleborough Beautiful on the map,” said Diane Hermenau, cleanup coordinator and a longtime member of the organization.
Behind the scenes, the cleanup is months in the making, requiring coordination across multiple town departments, including the Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division and Town Hall staff.
On the day of the event, DPW crews divide North Attleborough into eight cleanup zones, each assigned to a driver who circulates throughout the morning collecting filled trash bags.
“If you look at the map, it covers the major pockets of town,” Hermenau said. “Not every single street, but a lot of ground gets covered.”
Volunteers are directed to appropriate areas based on age and group size, with an emphasis on safety — particularly for younger participants, such as Scout troops and school groups.
“In 13 years, we’ve never had injuries,” Hermenau said. “We provide safety guidance and make sure people are working in the right places.”
Preparation includes scheduled supply distribution nights ahead of the event, where volunteers pick up T-shirts, bags and gloves.
The cleanup is funded through donations from local businesses and residents, with sponsors contributing at various levels. Those who donate $250 or more are recognized on the back of event T-shirts. Hermenau said the cost of organizing the cleanup continues to rise, from about $6,000 last year to roughly $8,000 this year.
Rising litter concerns
While participation continues to grow, organizers say the volume of trash collected has increased significantly in recent years. According to data from the town’s Solid Waste Department, volunteers collected about 3.9 tons of trash in 2025, up from 1.6 tons the previous year and 1.2 tons the year before.
“You hope with awareness that things are improving, but that number shows otherwise,” Hermenau said.
Much of the litter consists of everyday waste — nip bottles, fast-food packaging, coffee cups and cigarette butts — along with larger illegally dumped items such as tires, mattresses and grills. These are often found near waterways, including Whiting’s Pond.
Hermenau said rising disposal costs may be a factor, especially for bulkier items that require fees to discard properly.
Strong turnout, returning volunteers
Despite those challenges, the cleanup continues to draw a dedicated base of repeat participants, with some volunteers taking part every year since the event began.
As of April 24, 537 people had registered for this year’s cleanup, already surpassing last year’s total of about 430. Hermenau said she expects additional participants to sign up the morning of the event
“We’ve done a much better job getting the word out this year,” Hermenau said, noting registrations have continued to climb in recent weeks.
Steps are also being taken to reduce waste generated during the event itself. For the first time, the post-cleanup pizza gathering at North Attleborough High School will not include single-use plastic water bottles. Participants are instead encouraged to bring reusable bottles, with refill stations available on site.
“We’ve talked about this for years,” Hermenau said. “It aligns with what we’re trying to promote.”
Eight out of the town’s 10 pizza shops will again support the event by donating food, continuing a longstanding partnership with organizers.
For Hermenau, who recently stepped down from the KNAB board after more than a decade, but returned to coordinate this year’s cleanup, the event remains a meaningful way to bring residents together.
“It’s about community pride,” Hermenau said. “People want to take care of where they live and make it a place that’s clean and welcoming.”
Those looking to register in advance or donate can visit: https://keepnabeautiful.com/great-america-cleanup-gac/.