ROCKLAND — On Saturday, April 20, in celebration of Earth Day, over 60 volunteers convened at Harbor Park in Rockland to clean up litter and marine debris along the waterfront. Working in the rain, volunteers collected over 4,000 pieces of debris, including over 2,000 cigarette butts.

“Removing debris from the waterfront helps keep Rockland Harbor clean, for the benefit of all who enjoy and rely on it,” said David Troup, in a news release.

“It’s super exciting to see so many community members come out to clean up our home and harbor. This year especially, the Cleanup was really able to address some of the impacts of the intense storms we’ve been seeing” said, Jenny Carter, Sustainability Coordinator for the City. “And even in the rain, it was a great opportunity to get together and get outside,” she added.

This year’s Cleanup was made possible through the generous support of First National Bank, Good Tern Co-Op, Wiggins Meat Market, ScrapDogs Community Compost, and Spriggits. The Cleanup was organized thanks to a collaboration between the City of Rockland, Rockland Energy and Sustainability Advisory Committee, Rockland Harbor Trail Committee, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Coastal Program, Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships, Friends of Maine Coastal Islands, and Rockland Main Street.

To learn more about the City’s sustainability efforts, go to www.rocklandmaine.gov/sustainability.