PalmettoPride Awards $475,100 for Litter Removal
Columbia, SC (February 1, 2022) – PalmettoPride announced today the grant recipients for its Litter Crew Grant, providing local governments with funding and supplies needed for routine litter pickup on their roads.
“Our population has grown 23% in 20 years but the approach to litter prevention within infrastructure has remained largely reactive,” said Sarah Lyles, Executive Director of PalmettoPride. “Our local governments want to do more and we are here to help.”
The Litter Crew Grant is a competitive grant that provides funding of up to $25,000 to PSDs, municipalities and counties pay for litter removal crews. The governing organization will prioritize municipal or county maintained roads respectively, secondary state roadways as needed, and hot spots.
PalmettoPride has worked with multiple counties in establishing litter crew programs. Spartanburg County established the Litter Heroes program last summer, working with the Spartanburg Opportunity Center to employ up to four individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability as part of a litter crew. Participants engaged in case management and life skills training as assigned prior to heading to the work site.
Jamie Nelson, Director of Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement Department stated, “Until individuals whether living in or traveling through our beautiful state choose not to litter or ensure a vehicle’s load is properly secured, we will have the need for routine pickups along our roadways systems.”
“When elected officials and administrations add regular litter pickup on roadways, we can create a culture change from the top down,” said Lyles.
The role of volunteers in litter prevention is at the heart of PalmettoPride. Because of the population increase and volume of traffic, many roads that were safe for volunteers are no longer safe. With litter pickup as part of routine maintenance, volunteers can focus on caring for neighborhoods and public green spaces.
“We all have a part to play in litter prevention,” said Lyles.
In addition to litter pickup, the recipients must also coordinate a litter prevention campaign to accompany pickup.
Recipients of the Litter Crew Grant are as follows:
| Recipient | Amount |
| Beaufort County | $25,000.00 |
| Charleston County Environmental Enforcement | $25,000.00 |
| Chesterfield County | $25,000.00 |
| City of Barnwell | $21,100.00 |
| City of Florence | $25,000.00 |
| City of Fountain Inn | $25,000.00 |
| City of Mauldin | $25,000.00 |
| City of Rock Hill | $25,000.00 |
| City of York | $10,000.00 |
| Dorchester County | $20,500.00 |
| Fairfield County Public Works | $25,000.00 |
| Friends of Gardens Corner | $10,000.00 |
| Georgetown County Environmental Services | $25,000.00 |
| Greenwood County | $25,000.00 |
| Keep OneSpartantaburg Beautiful | $25,000.00 |
| Lancaster County Stormwater | $12,500.00 |
| Lexington County | $25,000.00 |
| Oconee County | $15,800.00 |
| Richland County | $20,000.00 |
| Town of Bowman | $25,000.00 |
| Town of Cheraw | $14,200.00 |
| Town of Kershaw | $15,000.00 |
| Town of Patrick | $11,000.00 |
PalmettoPride maintains that litter prevention is best, but pickup is an important part of litter prevention. Routine pickup helps to reduce litter on the roads and to foster community pride.
For more information on PalmettoPride, contact info@palmettopride.org.
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PalmettoPride is working towards a litter-free South Carolina. Created as a legislative initiative to fight litter and help beautify South Carolina by engaging citizens to take action in their communities through education, enforcement, awareness and pickup.