Group of volunteer cleaning picking up plastic litter in the park - Diverse group of people collect trash in the forest - Environmental protection, non profits organization and save the planet concept


A nationwide cleanup celebrates a cleaner America. Keep America Beautiful, an environmentally forward nonprofit, launched a national campaign to pick up millions of pieces of litter in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary. On July 4, 2026, the organization invites the public to remove over 25 billion pieces of waste from parks, waterways, and public spaces.

There are currently 35 billion pieces of waste countrywide. Although a 2026 National Litter Study found that waste has declined by 34 percent—most likely attributed to a growing sentiment of Americans believing litter is a problem (94 percent)—55 percent of respondents say that litter levels remain steady in their communities.

Plastic products still top litter material categories, contributing around 15.4 billion pieces of litter. Paper (4.2 billion pieces) and glass (3.6 billion pieces) also contribute to waste accumulation, with growing cardboard litter rates impacting the litter stream. Although waste diversion efforts by commercial cleaning operations support sustainability, the research reveals public education may be needed.

Through Keep America Beautiful’s decades-long commitment to building cleaner, greener, and more vibrant communities, commercial cleaning enterprises are offered an opportunity to partner with the public in investing in cleaner spaces.

“For more than 70 years, Keep America Beautiful has done something rare—built a model that turns corporate and community partnerships into tangible, visible change,” says Muneer Panjwani, CEO for Engage for Good. “Their work proves that when people feel genuinely connected to a place, they act to protect it.”

In 2025, more than 2.3 million Keep America Beautiful volunteers improved 621,000 acres of public land and picked up 18 million pounds of litter at over 60,000 cleanup events, delivering $64 million in value to local communities. This year, the nonprofit aims to achieve an ambitious goal alongside commercial cleaning companies and the people they protect daily.