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DECATUR, Ala. — Tennessee Riverkeeper removed 753 pounds of aquatic litter from Betty Rye Branch in Decatur on June 26.

Most of the litter found was different types of plastic, the most common being plastic bottles, shopping bags, straws, Styrofoam, and 16 tires.

“These events show that a few people can make a difference, and cleanups provide some hope for hundreds of thousands of citizens who are concerned about our blessed river and its tributaries. Clean water is a nonpartisan issue; we are all in this together.” David Whiteside, founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper said in a press release.

Betty Rye Branch flows into the Tennessee River, and is often a catch-all for litter. Litter that gets thrown out on the streets can flow into creeks and rivers after heavy rains from going in the drainage systems.

This creates a situation where waterways, such as Betty Rye Branch, receive a lot of plastic waste.