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Nearly half the world’s population — about 3 billion people — lives within 125 miles of a coastline. That’s a lot of us who wake up, work, and play within reach of the ocean’s edge. And it means every one of us has a stake in keeping our coastlines clean and healthy for the generations who’ll inherit them.
One of the easiest, most dependable ways to show up for the ocean? Rally your people — friends, family, neighbors, coworkers — and join International Coastal Cleanup Day, also known as World Cleanup Day.
What Is International Coastal Cleanup Day?
It’s one of the largest annual volunteer efforts on the planet for our oceans, waves, and beaches. Surfrider Foundation chapters and thousands of local organizers mobilize communities worldwide to hit the sand (and rivers, and lakes) and haul out the trash.
This year, International Coastal Cleanup Day falls on Saturday, September 19, 2026 — always the third Saturday in September.
Care With Cariloha: How to Run Your Own Cleanup
Not sure where to start? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — just borrow this checklist:
- Pick your site and run a risk assessment. Don’t forget a first aid kit and a charged phone.
- Plan for the waste. Line up disposal logistics ahead of time — loop in your local municipal council or recycling company if needed.
- Spread the word. Promote your event through media and partners, and line up team and area leaders.
- Cover your bases. Sort out volunteer insurance, and make sure anyone under 18 has an adult with them.
- Divide and conquer. Assign cleanup zones to volunteer pairs or small groups, and hand out supplies.
- Keep everyone safe. Provide safety gear plus hand-washing stations or wipes.
- Set the ground rules. Every piece of man-made material gets collected — no exceptions.
- Sort as you go. Separate what’s recyclable from what isn’t, and dispose of both responsibly.
- Stay alert. If you find abandoned vehicles, weapons, or anything suspicious, contact local police and use caution.
- Respect the wildlife. Steer clear of bird nesting areas and other sensitive habitats.
- Weigh what you collect. Bag it up and track the total.
- Report your impact. Send your volunteer count and waste totals to your national team or local coordinator.
- Capture the moment. Snap a group photo, tag World Cleanup Day, and share it with your local organizer for maximum reach.
Can’t Make It to a Cleanup? You’ve Still Got Options
Keep Advocating
- Add your voice to calls for leaders to prioritize clean, healthy oceans and coastlines through legislation like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.
- Skip single-use plastics — a small swap that keeps waste out of ocean creatures’ habitats.
- Find more ways to take action on behalf of the ocean.
Keep Learning
- Dig into Ocean Conservancy’s ICC reports to see how volunteers have made coastlines cleaner and healthier over the years.
- Explore the ICC’s marine debris educational guide, developed with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program — built for younger audiences but a great primer for anyone.
- Follow the latest from Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas® program for current issues facing our ocean.
About International Coastal Cleanup Day
It’s the world’s largest single-day civic action for the environment, engaging more than 150 countries in the fight against the global waste crisis. But World Cleanup Day isn’t just about the cleanup itself — it’s a network of doers united by a simple vision: a waste-free world, built together.
About Ocean Conservancy
Since the International Coastal Cleanup™ began in 1986, more than 17 million volunteers across over 150 countries have removed over 350 million pounds of trash from the world’s beaches and waterways — proof of what a global community can do when it shows up for the ocean, one stretch of coastline at a time.