Public Works Awarded Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award

The Prince William County Department of Public Works and Micron Technology, Inc., were recently honored with silver medals at the 2024 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards for their work on the Neabsco Creek Bandalong Litter Trap project. 

The Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards recognize successful and innovative efforts to improve Virginia's environment. The program is a collaboration between the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. 

The Neabsco Creek Bandalong Litter Trap is an in-stream device that collects floating trash. Since its installation in Neabsco Creek in November 2021, it has trapped around 25,000 pieces of polystyrene, a form of plastic, and approximately 8,000 plastic bottles for recycling. 

Situated in the headwaters of Neabsco Creek, the Bandalong has helped control stormwater litter and plastic pollution from the 10,000-acre drainage area covering Dale City, Woodbridge and the U.S. 1 corridor. The Bandalong has captured a significant percentage of the debris from Neabsco Creek and its tributaries, which would have otherwise ended up in Neabsco Regional Park with its 300-acre estuary, the Potomac River and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. 

“This collaborative project between the county, Micron, and local non-profit environmental organizations has improved the health of the estuary, created a cleaner and more pleasant environment for visitors, and significantly reduced litter and plastic pollution in the region,” said Prince William County Department of Public Works MS4 Coordinator Drew Uglow.   

County Executive Chris Shorter highlighted the power of collaboration in tackling environmental changes. "When different sectors come together, meaningful and sustainable outcomes are achieved. This successful public-private-nonprofit partnership serves as an example of how diverse organizations can work together to address pressing environmental challenges.” 

To learn more about Public Works, visit pwcva.gov/publicworks.