News

A year of working with officials in Johnston County paid off this week when the Clayton Town Council unanimously approved the installation of a Sound Rivers trash trap.

This will make trash trap No. 11 in an growing fleet of traps located on urban waterways throughout the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds — part of Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program.

“They saw it as a win-win and unanimously voted in favor of it,” said Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop. “It really demonstrates the Town of Clayton’s commitment to the waterways that flow around and through it — the healthy creeks that their community members enjoy.”

Samantha presented to the Council on Monday night to illustrate how the passive litter-collection devices trap litter floating downstream so that it can be removed and put where it belongs, rather than continuing to flow downstream to the Neuse River.

Sound Rivers previously applied for, and received, a Winston Family Foundation grant to install two trash traps in Johnston County, and Samantha has been working with the town to identify ideal locations.

“Little Creek is a tributary of Neuse on the west side of Clayton and drains a 5 1/2-square-mile area that includes a chunk of the Highway 70 corridor,” she said.

The trash trap is scheduled to be installed in the spring, and Samantha said she’s already spoken to people interested in volunteering for cleanouts.

“It was really great — a large group from the Citizens Climate Lobby in Johnston County showed up to the meeting in support of our trash-trap proposal,” she said. “They showed a lot of interest in helping to clean out the trash trap and supporting our Litter-Free Rivers program.”

Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program launched in 2022, with the installation of the first trash trap on Jack’s Creek in Washington. Since, trash traps have been added on Duffyfield Canal in New Bern, Little Rock Creek in Raleigh, Adkin Branch in Kinston, Greens Mill Run in Greenville, and in 2024, the number of traps doubled with installations on East Tarboro Canal in Tarboro, three trash traps on Marsh Creek in Raleigh — in partnership with N.C. State University, the City of Raleigh and The Great Raleigh Cleanup — and a second Jack’s Creek trash trap in Washington.

The program is volunteer-based and trash trap cleanouts are open to anyone who wants to participate (waders, bags, gloves and pickers are provided). Sound Rivers also encourages groups of all types (family, civic, school, etc.) to “Adopt a Trash Trap,” a monthlong commitment to monitor and empty a single trash trap.

To volunteer for an upcoming trash trap cleanout, visit our volunteer signup page. More information on adopting a trash trap can be found here.

Like how Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program is working to keep your waterways clean? We do! Donate today to help us continue to grow Litter-Free Rivers!