By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
Keep North Attleborough Beautiful’s [KNAB] annual cleanup sees dozens of groups pitch in to remove garbage across town.
Back in April, KNAB organizers made the decision to cancel the cleanup amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. But as others have done, the cleanup has adapted to a more socially-distant version. Dubbed the Mid-Summer Town Cleanup, residents are encouraged to take to the streets with their own small cleanups—while staying safe and socially distant.
In an e-mail, KNAB Executive Director Marsha Goldstein said that due to this and other community cleanups being canceled, litter has been seen on the streets.
“But we are not going to let this pandemic spoil the spirit of what our annual clean up aims to do—bring our community together and keep our community beautiful,” Goldstein wrote. “We believe that a successful clean up effort is still possible. It just needs to be re-imagined.”
The summer cleanup is fairly casual in its setup, and no registration is required. People are asked to head out and pick up litter, using gloves and bag and disposing of it in their trash. In addition, it’s encouraged that photos of the filled bags are posted to social media with details of how much was collected and where, with the tags #KNAB2020 and #MidSummerHaul. Anyone who posts and tags this way will be entered to win a chocolate-themed gift basket.
Litter cleanup safety tips
- Wear gloves to protect your hands.
- Wear brightly colored clothing to increase visibility.
- Wear long pants to protect against ticks and prickle bushes.
- Do not attempt to pick up any hazardous material.
- Wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather.
- Face oncoming traffic and look out for approaching vehicles.
- Follow any health and social distancing advisories that are in effect.
- Avoid poison ivy.
- Please call the police if any hazardous materials are found. 508-695-1212
