The photo album of a baby. Pottery tools. A mug with a picture of country singer Reba McEntire with a man in his fifties. These objects may be treasures to someone. Once collected in the rivers of western North Carolina, they are no longer considered waste.
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene destroyed 73,700 homes [in the state] and swept away the personal belongings of their residents. When the water receded, all sorts of objects, from the insignificant to the most precious, were among the debris.
Starting in March 2025, an environmental organization, MountainTrue, began to fund the employment of 10 people to clean the rivers, including collecting and sorting waste, thanks to local grants.
“Tiny little nothings”
In June 2025, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality released $10 million and MountainTrue was able to recruit more: its cleaning teams now cover 12 counties and provide free assistance to waterfront residents.
There are now 91 people gathering river debris in the region. Among them, Mandy Wallace, a former river guide, is now a “object recovery technician”:
