Volunteers helped clean up litter and dog waste along the Thunderbird Falls trail in Chugach State Park near Eklutna on April 22, 2025. (Marc Lester / ADN)
As Southcentral Alaska finally eases into spring, it’s time for Anchorage’s annual outdoor trash-cleaning effort.
The Anchorage Chamber’s Citywide Cleanup begins Saturday and ends May 31.
You can also join other events to de-trash Anchorage’s sidewalks, public lands, trails and waterways over the next several weeks.
Orange trash bags are available at various locations throughout the city starting Saturday, including at Carrs grocery stores, several Kaladi Brothers Coffee locations and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce’s downtown office. Check the Chamber’s online map of bag pickup locations for details.
The Chamber suggests starting to pick up trash around your neighborhood or workplace, but it does not assign specific areas to participants.
You can drop bags off at the regional landfill in Eagle River, the Midtown Central Transfer Station or at Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals at 325 W. Potter Drive. The Chamber emphasizes that bags left by the side of the road will not be picked up.
Other trash pickup tips include:
• Wear thick protective gloves, and a high-visibility safety vest is recommended for cleanup near roads.
• Bring along a sturdy plastic container to dispose of sharps like needles.
• Make sure to respect private property boundaries.
• The Chamber recommends against working in homeless encampments.
Anchorage trash pickup events
• The Anchorage Chamber’s Citywide Cleanup kickoff event is on Saturday, May 2 at Westchester Lagoon from noon to 3 p.m. Bags and other cleanup supplies will be on hand, as well as spots to dispose of the trash and glass and plastic recycling.
• The Anchorage Park Foundation is leading the Cheney Lake Park Community Clean Up, also on May 2 from 10 a.m. to noon.
• Check to see if your school is participating in the Anchorage School District’s Super Sweeper Saturday on May 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Ship Creek Spring Cleanup is May 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Organizers are asking volunteers to meet at the Bait Shack at 212 W. Whitney Road at 11 a.m., and are advising participants to dress in layers for cooler weather. Also bring rubber boots or waders, in addition to gloves and reflective wear.
• The Anchorage Waterways Council is organizing a broader creek cleanup from May 7-17 — sign up on their website, anchoragecreeks.org.
• If you have access to a canoe, kayak, raft, inflatable tube or waders, you can also participate in a cleanup flotilla. Volunteers will take to local lakes to clean up trash on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the initial meetup to pick up supplies at Cuddy Lake Park at 9 a.m. The event is organized by the Anchorage Waterways Council, Anchorage Parks and Recreation, the Anchorage Park Foundation and Team Orange.
Are you organizing an additional Anchorage spring cleanup event not listed here? Email us at newstips@adn.com and we’ll add it to the lineup.
