Some 140 volunteers picked up more trash than a 40-yard Dumpster could hold at lakes Hickory and Lookout on Saturday, said Jim Carr, the Big Sweep coordinator for Catawba and Alexander counties.
The annual cleanup goes on around rivers, lakes and other bodies of water nationwide.
In addition to the Dumpster full of garbage at Lake Hickory and another nearly full Dumpster at Lake Lookout, volunteers picked up 19 bags of recyclables and 13 tires.
"I think we've had years when we got more stuff," Carr said. "One of the other old-timers pointed out it's beginning to look like people are taking better care of the lake and not throwing as much trash on the roads."
He thinks most of the cans, bottles and other litter volunteers pick up is washed into and around the lake from surrounding streets.
"We've had years when the Dumpster was just humped over," Carr said.
Among the unusual finds this year was the front end of a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that looked like it had burned.
Carr said he also saw lots of treated, finished lumber.
"Some of it is pretty nice and usable," he said, "but we don't encourage people to give it to us in that manner."
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