Harnett County’s Keep Harnett Beautiful Program will host a Spring Litter Sweep from April 1 until April 26. Harnett County is seeking community-wide participation in the Spring Litter Sweep to transform Harnett into a cleaner environment and protect the watershed and water quality.

Harnett County is seeking community members, civic groups, churches, schools, or businesses to pick a day to volunteer throughout April to help beautify the county. Volunteers can choose a certain location to clean, or staff can recommend an area. Participants will receive safety vests, gloves, trash pickers, and bags. Volunteer or service hours are also available.

Although the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for all roadside litter, Harnett County’s Soil and Water Conservation District and Solid Waste department partnered to launch a citizen volunteer program (Keep Harnett Beautiful) to supplement the efforts of NCDOT.

Keep Harnett Beautiful Coordinator Morgan Pope has been spearheading the program for almost 4 years. Pope is passionate about the negative impacts that littering can have on natural resources and making Harnett a better place to live, one piece of litter at a time.

“Roadside litter has been an ongoing and unsightly issue throughout our beautiful state,” said Pope. “The Cape Fear River, Harnett County’s main source of water, runs directly through and deposits into the ocean. Let’s try and keep it as clean as we can. Our County has many natural resources that I thrive to help protect. I challenge you to help protect our local watersheds by conducting a litter sweep this spring!”

Citizen participation in Harnett County’s Keep Harnett Beautiful Program is crucial to better the community and environment.

Harnett County’s Solid Waste department is doing its part to encourage citizens of Harnett County to take pride in the appearance of the county and put trash in its correct place. To discourage illegal dumping, Solid Waste has extended the hours for all convenience centers to six days a week.

“We want to remind citizens that tires, electronics, and metal disposal are free of charge at both landfills,” said Chad Beane, Harnett County Solid Waste director. “Please be considerate of your fellow citizens and the environment and be a part of the solution, not the problem. Let’s all do our part.”

For individuals interested in volunteering to create a more sustainable and visually appealing community:

• Text “LITTER” TO 910-514-2054
• Call 910-514-2054
• Email Morgan Pope at mpope@harnett.org

Harnett County’s Keep Harnett Beautiful program is offered year-round, the Litter Sweeps are offered in April and October yearly.

Harnett County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina with approximately 140,000 residents. Harnett's tagline of "Strong Roots, New Growth," describes a county in transition, one that values its rural agricultural heritage while also embracing new growth and industry. Harnett County is optimally located just between North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh and the internationally recognized Research Triangle Park to the north, and the nation's largest military installation in Fort Liberty to the south. 

For more information, contact Community Relations Director, Desiree Patrick at publicinfo@harnett.org or 910-893-7555.