Great Savannah Cleanup begins

By Savannah Morning News

Posted Apr 19, 2018 at 4:43 PM

The City of Savannah kicked off the Great Savannah Cleanup on Thursday, encouraging neighborhoods to get organized and get busy cleaning. The kickoff event was held at the Bacon Park Transfer Station on Skidaway Road. Mayor Pro Tem Carol Bell, Alderman Estella Shabazz, the city’s Human Services and Sanitation departments, the Keep Savannah Beautiful Board of Directors and several neighborhood leaders attended.

The cleanup initiative will take place in four zones across the city on designated Saturdays in May. A list of the neighborhoods and corresponding zones and pick up dates can be found on the city’s website at www.savannahga.gov/cleanup. Neighborhood associations need to organize a cleanup for their designated Saturday and then register with the city. Participating neighborhoods will received cleanup supplies and free bulk-item pick up by sanitation crews.

So far, 20 neighborhoods have already begun organizing cleanup events, according to city officials.

“We encourage all citizens to participate in the Great Savannah Cleanup,” Bell said. “It is an opportunity to clean our properties of unwanted debris and an opportunity to make Savannah the most beautiful city in the state.”

Each Saturday the city will weigh the bulk-items and trash collected for each zone and spur a healthy competition between zones.

“We used to do the Great Savannah Cleanup in big ways in previous years,” Shabazz said. “It is great to see that we are taking ownership of our communities again.”

The bulk-item pick up is for furniture, appliances, mattresses and yard waste; however, yard waste must be separated. The city will not collect electronics, paint, liquids, hazardous materials, construction materials and car parts.

Neighborhoods can register to participate in the Great Savannah Cleanup by contacting Carliss Bates with the City of Savannah, at 912-651-6703, or by email at cbates@savannahga.gov. Neighborhoods can also register online at www.savannahga.gov/cleanup.

The Great Savannah Cleanup is being held in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful’s 20th Anniversary of the nation-wide Great American Cleanup.

See the full video of the kick off here: https://youtu.be/tAHzHHycpfA