International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD), taking place on Saturday September 15, is one of the world's largest annual preservation and protection events and volunteer efforts for our ocean, waves and beaches.
It is a global movement that encompasses 6 million volunteers in 90 countries and across the United States. The cumulative result is not only a cleaner and healthier coastline but also a raised consciousness for accessible actions people can integrate into their lives to promote healthy beaches on a daily basis.
Some of the top five most commonly collected items on ICCD last year were cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, food wrappers, plastic bottle caps and plastic straws, respectively. All are forms of plastic debris. The very qualities that make plastic an adaptable and durable product to use, also make it an environmental nightmare. Plastics do not biodegrade. Instead they break down with exposure to weather and the sun’s ultraviolet rays into smaller and smaller pieces. When these pieces infiltrate the environment, especially marine environments, they wreak havoc on wildlife and the ecosystem.
To find an event near you visit Facebook and search International Coastal Cleanup Day in Events. If there are no events scheduled nearby, we encourage you to get out to your local beach/waterway and have your own cleanup.
