Auglaize County Roadside Trash Pickup Program Begins in Early April

Motorists are being asked to watch for community groups working along county roads as Auglaize County’s annual trash pickup program gets underway in early April.

Auglaize County Engineer Andrew Baumer says several groups are scheduled to take part in the countywide cleanup effort, including 4-H and FFA groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, youth organizations, and church groups. Baumer says the program not only helps clean up county roadways, but also serves as a fundraiser because participating groups are paid for their work.

Baumer said the main message to the public is safety.

He says volunteers will be wearing safety vests, but working along the roadway is still dangerous, and motorists need to stay alert and be aware of people cleaning ditches and roadsides throughout the county.

According to a news release from the Auglaize County Engineer’s Office, the program covered a large area last year. In 2025, the county partnered with 10 different groups that picked up litter along 310 miles of county roads. Those groups used more than 608 bags to collect trash, averaging more than 2 bags of litter per mile.

Baumer says the county wants to continue building on that effort this year while reminding drivers to use extra caution when traveling near cleanup crews.

The Auglaize County Highway Department provides safety vests and trash bags for the project and also arranges to haul away the collected trash.

Baumer says any group interested in taking part in the roadside cleanup program can contact the Auglaize County Engineer’s Office.