Don’t mess with Texas® Trash-Off

April 1-30

Texas’ signature event for the Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program, helping clear Texas roadsides of litter.

Overview

What:

The Don’t mess with Texas® Trash-Off is part of Texas Department of Transportation’s litter prevention program, which includes Don’t mess with Texas®, and Adopt-a-Highway, Registered participants will have access to the online event toolkit and will receive trash bags, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer. Groups cleaning up TxDOT-maintained roadways will also be eligible for additional supplies.

When:
April 1-30.

Be sure to order supplies 3 weeks prior to your scheduled cleanup to ensure timely shipment. Cleanup data must be submitted within two weeks of the event date.

Where:

Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off events can take place on any TxDOT-maintained roadway.

Who:

Anyone can participate! Volunteers come from all walks of life: students, civic and non-profit organizations, individuals, community groups, sports teams and more.

Your health and safety are our number one priority at TxDOT and Keep Texas Beautiful. KTB reminds Texans to stay safe when choosing to go outside and clean up your communities.

Request Supplies

Fill out this quick form to register your cleanup and get your supplies. Be sure to order supplies 3 weeks prior to your scheduled cleanup. Supply requests are now open.

Find Your Local Affiliate

& let them know you want to get involved in the Don’t mess with Texas® Trash-Off!

Upcoming Events

Check out our calendar to see if there is a cleanup being organized in your community you can join!

Toolkit

  • When picking up litter, KTB recommends participants to do so responsibly and at their comfort level. Please have participants wear a disposable gloves and use a litter grabber (when available).When participants are finished collecting litter, please make sure their trash bags are securely tied to protect sanitation workers. Advise them to immediately wash their hands with soap and water and/or use hand sanitizer after collecting litter. Please have them dispose of single-use face masks and disposable gloves properly and in the waste bin. Please follow all CDC guidelines surrounding COVID-19.
PPE Litter Cleanup Guidance

How to properly pick up littered personal protective equipment (PPE).

Download PDF
  • Identify a location in your community that could be cleaned and that is safe and accessible. Come up with a plan to dispose of the trash and recyclables you collect properly. Visit the site in advance of the cleanup date to determine where to set up a check-in station, where to leave bags of trash and recyclables and what areas volunteers will clean.
  • Encourage friends, family and colleagues to get involved and help organize the cleanup. Create a Facebook event so interested volunteers can RSVP, and you can easily communicate with attendees. Spread the word through email, social media, and e-invites. You can also print and post event flyers in the area.
  • Arrive early to set up and post appropriate signage for attendees. At your check-in station, ensure you have pens, pencils and sign-in sheets ready for your volunteers.
  • This will depend on the type of event your hosting. Be prepared for everything. Make sure group leaders have a volunteer welcome and safety speech to give. For cleanups, provide a volume to weight estimation sheet and data card. Consider other things you might want from volunteers, such as a photo release waiver.Establish a point-person to stay at the check-in station in case of health emergencies or any late arrivals.
  • Take before and after photos of the cleanup site as well as shots of your volunteers in action and a final group picture with all of the trash collected. You can submit these with your data card or tag @KeepTXBeautiful online with #GreatAmericanCleanup. If you’re hosting a cleanup, remind volunteers to review the information they entered into the Data Cards and then make sure they submit! Collect all completed paper data forms to submit to Keep Texas Beautiful. Ensure all trash is left in the designated drop-off location and that no materials are left behind as you leave the cleanup location.
Looking for more information about how to enter your cleanup data?

The Event Wrap-Up Guide includes information about how to use the Litter Database and submit your event data.

Litter Database User Guide

A guide to using the Texas Litter Database

View Guide
Event Wrap-Up Guide for Affiliates

Post event requirements

View Document
Training Webinar

A deep dive into the new Texas Litter Database

Watch Video
2021 Impact

Don’t Mess with Texas® Trash-Off

The data in the following infographic only includes DMWT Trash-Off eligible activity performed between April 1 – 30.

1,084

TxDoT Right-of-Way Miles Cleaned

5,790

Tires Collected

11,644

Volunteers

$669,263

Worth of Volunteer Hours

~1.29 M+

Pounds of Trash & Recycling Collected

816

Groups making Texas the best place to live, work & play

23,450

Volunteers Hours

Please Note

Participants interested in using the Don’t mess with Texas logo must receive prior approval from TxDOT as Don’t mess with Texas® is federally registered and owned by TxDOT, thus cannot be used without permission.

The use of the Don’t mess with Texas® logo for the printing of t-shirts is not allowed, regardless of if they are not for profit. You may use the Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off® logo, as part of our agreement with TxDOT, but the Don’t mess with Texas® logo by itself cannot be used.

If you have any questions as to which logo needs approval, please contact the Marketing team.

Resources

After The Event

Sharing Your Event’s Results Helps Us Magnify Impact Across Texas…and the World.

Don't mess With Texas® Trash-Off is Supported with Funding By