Trash along local rivers and streams not only ruins our region’s scenic beauty but also degrades water quality, harms wildlife, and threatens human health.
That’s why each spring, Raritan Headwaters organizes our annual Stream Cleanup, a large-scale event that mobilizes more than 1,400 volunteers to remove tons of trash and litter from sites throughout Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris counties.
The 36th annual Stream Cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon, at approximately 70 sites near rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs across the upper Raritan River watershed.
Online volunteer registration opens on Sunday, March 1st. To sign up or learn more, visit www.raritanheadwaters.org/streamcleanup.
Last year, Stream Cleanup volunteers picked up more than 12 tons of trash and recyclables in a single morning. When over a thousand volunteers pitch in, it’s amazing how much of a difference those three hours can make!
Stream Cleanup is held around the same time as Earth Day. Appropriately, the 2026 Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” which emphasizes the collective ability of communities and individuals to drive environmental action.
The largest share of litter collected by volunteers consists of plastic in many forms: bottles, bags, wrappers, bottle caps, drink cups, straws, utensils, fishing line, and more. In 2025, a staggering 15,807 pieces of plastic litter were collected.
Volunteers also find metal cans, glass bottles and jars, paper and cardboard, cigarette butts, car and truck tires, construction materials, and a random assortment of other discarded items, such as furniture, sports equipment, and toys.
Removing plastic from land along waterways helps reduce one of the biggest threats to water quality—microplastics. As larger pieces of plastic erode, they’re broken down into smaller and smaller bits, and once they are small enough, at a microscopic size, they can leach into our water supply and pose a threat to human health.
Plastics in the environment also pose a threat to aquatic species and a wide variety of wildlife. For example, marine mammals and seabirds can mistake plastic for food and ingest it or become entangled in plastic waste. Any trash that enters a stream in our watershed can eventually reach the main stem of the Raritan River and ultimately end up in the Atlantic Ocean.
A Great Multi-Generation Event
Stream Cleanup attracts a wide range of volunteers, including individuals, families, scout troops, and groups from schools, churches, businesses, environmental commissions, and other civic organizations. It’s a great multi-generational event and a wonderful way to see old friends from the community and meet new people. Stream Cleanup also fosters a sense of stewardship and pride in the community.
The cleanup will be held rain or shine, and all volunteers will receive gloves and trash and recycling bags. Volunteers are not required to enter waterways, as most litter is found along stream banks, at access points, on walking paths, and in parking areas. However, water-resistant footwear is recommended, as cleanup sites may be muddy.
Participants will be asked to complete data forms to record the amount and type of litter they collect. RHA staff will compile the data for a final tally.
Picking up trash isn’t the only way the public can help. Local individuals and businesses can sponsor a stream site to help defray RHA’s costs. To learn more, visit www.raritanheadwaters.org/scusponsor or email Kate Arnao at karnao@raritanheadwaters.org.
