Tennessee Riverkeeper removes over 2,000 pounds of trash in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — With the help of Model Environment and The Orion Amphitheater, Tennessee Riverkeeper said it recently removed about 2,023 pounds of trash from Pinhook Creek in downtown Huntsville on Saturday.

This feat was made in honor of the amphitheater’s 100th concert this weekend.

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“Plastic pollution is a local and global issue. Scientific studies have confirmed that microplastics and chemicals related to the plastic industry are found in humans and wildlife. These cleanups are a great short-term solution, but we need bigger solutions that prevent this problem from getting worse, such as The Orion Ampitheater’s reusable cup program,” David Whiteside, Founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper, said.

Pinhook Creek and Huntsville Spring Branch are tributaries of the Tennessee River. Eighteen people attended and removed 61 bags of trash, as well as large debris, including five shopping carts, tires and miscellaneous scrap metal.

(Courtesy of Tennessee Riverkeeper)

The organization said the Tennessee River and its tributaries around Huntsville, like Pinhook Creek, are often collection zones for litter.

It mentions litter that flies out of garbage trucks or gets thrown onto streets will often flow into creeks and rivers after rain through drainage systems.

This creates a situation where waterways receive a large amount of plastic. Tennessee Riverkeeper said this garbage negatively impacts water quality and is more than just a visible eyesore.

Recently, in June, the organization removed about 280 pounds of trash from the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge on the Tennessee River.

So far in 2025, Tennessee Riverkeeper has removed about 9,500 pounds of trash from waterways.

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