The Great Islands Cleanup is back.

Bigger and better than ever, this year it’s county-wide, with Orcas, San Juan and, for the first time, Lopez Island participating.

“The Great Islands Cleanup is becoming an iconic annual event,” says Orcas event organizer Kira Bradshaw. “We’re so excited that it has become county-wide!”

For Orcas participants the cleanup begins at 10 a.m. on the Village Green in Eastsound. Volunteers will be divided into groups, given supplies and directions. This year’s cleanup will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving everyone plenty of time to get the garbage and recycling they collect back to the Village Green where it will be documented and picked up by San Juan Sanitation.

Lopez and San Juan residents can find out about the events on their island by visiting the event’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Great-Islands-Clean-Up.

Last year the final results on Orcas were incredible: 100 hard-working volunteers collected 2,440 pounds of litter in only two hours.

“We are also excited about introducing recycling to the program this year,” says Bradshaw. “We are hoping to use the event to help educate people about how to recycle appropriately.”

Adult and kid prizes will be handed out to the finder of the “funkiest junk” again this year. Later that evening, adult participants can talk trash over a cold brew at an after party sponsored by Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange and Island Hoppin’ Brewery.

While the clean-up is volunteer-organized, the event is supported by many organizations including San County Public Works, San Juan Sanitation, the Lopez Solid Waste District, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, the Orcas Chamber of Commerce, the Orcas Island Community Foundation and Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange.

Everyone is encouraged to wear brightly colored weather-appropriate clothing, and bring work gloves  – latex gloves will be provided.