BATAVIA, OH — Efforts to keep Clermont County beautiful got a boost recently when the Office of Environmental Quality received a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

The $37,000 Recycle Ohio Community and Litter grant will support the Ohio River Sweep, Spring Litter Clean-up and Tire Collection Days. The grant includes a 20 percent match from the county.

In the Ohio River Sweep, local volunteers join 100 locations in six states each summer to remove litter from the waterway.

In the Spring Litter Clean-up, people volunteer their time to pick up trash throughout Clermont County and the East Fork Watershed.

In Tire Collection Days, Clermont County residents can drop off up to 10 tires at a pre-determined location. The Collection Days will be scheduled for a weekend in October, visit oeq.net to sign up for notifications. In the meantime, residents can take their tires to tire retailers and pay a small fee to recycle them

“These funds will help us supply volunteers with tools they need to keep Clermont County beautiful,” said Hannah Lubbers, director of the Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ) and the Adams-Clermont Solid Waste District. “They will also cover costs of items such as water bottles and other supplies for those who so graciously devote time to these important events.”