Blackstone River Watershed Association Riverways Cleanup Day

70 people, 3 rivers, 5 towns, 7 sites

Seventy volunteers joined forces on Sunday, October 28^th to clean the banks of the Mumford, West, and Mill Rivers at the Blackstone River Watershed Association’s 1^st Annual Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup Day as part of the “National Make a Difference” campaign. The event took place at seven locations in five towns: Blackstone, East Douglas, Hopedale, Northbridge and Uxbridge. The day ended with volunteers gathering at the River Bend Farm Visitor Center in Uxbridge for pizza and refreshments provided by the Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA). Volunteers included local school children, scout groups, and concerned citizens who helped pick up trash, debris, tires, air conditioners, microwave ovens and booms found in and along the three rivers. The towns of Blackstone, East Douglas, Hopedale , and Northbridge, removed all trash at the six sites in the respective towns. Lynch’s Riverview Wine & Spirits allowed the use of their dumpster for disposal of trash in Uxbridge. This partnership between towns, businesses, citizens and the BRWA helps improve the  health of the three rivers, which are tributaries of the Blackstone River, as well as surrounding wildlife habitats, water quality, and various recreational opportunities.

As part of the cleanup, volunteers separated all non-returnable bottles and cans (e.g., bottled water, juice, ice teas, "sports" drinks, etc.) from returnable (deposit) containers.  The number of non-returnable exceeded the number of returnable (deposit) containers collected by 2.6:1. The BRWA’s name will be added to the list of organizations that agreed to tally returnable and non-returnable beverage containers to encourage our legislators to vote to expand the Massachusetts Bottle Deposit Law to include bottled water, juice, ice teas, "sports" drinks, etc.

 The Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA), established in 1976, is dedicated to restoring, enhancing and preserving the Blackstone River, the Blackstone River system and its watershed. The BRWA is working to take what was one of the most polluted rivers in the United States and turning it into the jewel of the Blackstone Valley. For more information about the BRWA or to volunteer contact the BRWA office at 508-278-5200, info@thebrwa.org or visit the website at www.thebrwa.org.