The world will witness its largest beach and waterway cleanup effort to date, as the 39th annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) takes place on 21 September.

Organised by Ocean Conservancy, this monumental event will engage over half a million volunteers across the globe in a concerted effort to combat the escalating plastic pollution crisis.

Since its inception in 1986, the ICC has mobilised over 18 million people, collectively removing more than 385 million pounds of trash from oceans and beaches. Last year, nearly 8 million pounds of waste were collected by 486 000 participants, highlighting the scale of the problem and the need for continued action.

This year’s cleanup will feature flagship events at Alki Beach in Seattle and Kingman Island in Washington, D.C., along with other locations. Volunteers will help gather crucial data that supports plastic pollution research and drives policy changes.

The effort underscores the importance of both immediate cleanup actions and long-term strategies to prevent plastic waste from entering our oceans.

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