MDC helps sponsor 9th Annual St. Louis area Confluence Trash Bash March 18

ST. LOUIS, Mo.— The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is helping to sponsor one of the largest litter clean-ups in the St. Louis area—the 9th Annual Confluence Trash Bash. The event is happening, Saturday March 18, from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Volunteers are needed to help clean up rivers and creeks that lie within the Confluence Greenway. Past cleanup efforts have drawn over a thousand volunteers who have removed 5,000 tires and more than 61 tons of trash and scrap from area streams and rivers.  Volunteers are asked to report for sign up between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. There will be free breakfast served before the cleanup begins.

Volunteers can choose from among the following starting locations:

• Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 10950 Riverview Drive
• Big Muddy Adventures is also meeting at Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to organize cleanup efforts on the Mississippi River at Mosenthein Island, subject to river conditions.  Space is limited to 20 people.
• Creve Coeur Park, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road
• City of Florissant,  Sunset Park, 2300 Sunset Park Drive
• City of Bridgeton, 13217 Ferguson Lane
• Overland Wild Acres Park, 2500 Ashby Road—call 314-427-2401 or 314-662-2401 to register
• Volunteers can also opt to be single stream waste sorters at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Specific cleanup sites will then be assigned near each of the starting locations. Prizes will be awarded to volunteers who find the weirdest, biggest and most expensive trash that morning.

Individual volunteers, civic groups and youth organizations are encouraged to volunteer. No experience is required. Volunteers will be provided a free t-shirt, bags, and gloves, courtesy of the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District. Transportation is available for school and other groups by contacting Colleen Scott (Colleen.Scott@mdc.mo.gov ) at MDC.

Pre-registration is required to participate.  Those wishing more information or to volunteer can register at https://www.greenwaynetwork.org/projects-issues/confluence-trash-bash.php .

Participants are reminded to dress appropriately for weather conditions and in clothes they don’t mind getting wet or dirty.

In addition to MDC, other sponsors of the Confluence Trash Bash include St. Louis Audubon Society, Greenway Network, St. Louis Brightside, St. Louis County, Missouri Stream Team, Missouri River Relief, St. Louis Forward and Big Muddy Adventures.

Participating municipalities include Maryland Heights Parks Department, cities of St. Louis, Creve Coeur, Florissant, Bridgeton, Overland, Hanley Hills and Bellefontaine Neighbors.