ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – If you’re looking for something to do on Saturday, you could help out with a large-scale clean-up event trying to cover the entire St. Louis region.

Saturday is the third annual Confluence Trash Bash, which promises to be one of the largest cleanups on rivers, creeks and across the Lower Missouri River watershed. Volunteers will clean across the area, including sites not along the waterways — like illegal dumping sites.

“The event is free, and all volunteers will be provided with work gloves and trash bags to use for the cleanups,” Open Space STL says. “Participants will also receive a free t-shirt while supplies last. Volunteers must pre-register and complete a liability waiver to receive their free t-shirt, select a cleanup site, and help event organizers coordinate supplies.”

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to sign up before the Trash Bash on the Open Space STL website. You can find that form here.

In 2024, 5.2 tons of trash were removed from the area by clean up crews, and Open Space STL says they cleaned more than 30 sites across the region. They had almost 1,000 volunteers, but say they need more to continue this operation.

Following the clean-up, volunteers can head to the Audubon Center at Riverlands at 11 a.m. for a post-clean-up picnic. There are options for food, educational programs and booths for participating organizations.

The organization has support from multiple organizations, including Great Rivers Greenway, Earthways Center, MSD Project Clear, Saint Louis County Parks, and Missouri Stream Teams, Missouri Department of Transportation, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC), the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Spanish Lake Clean & Green Committee, Little Creek Nature Area, Missouri Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Madison County, Illinois, Mississippi River Water Trail Association, Audubon Society/Riverlands and the Sierra Club – Illinois Chapter – Piasa Palisades Group.

Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America Corps member, as well as a member of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage ranges from corn farms to hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.

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