Each year, Puget Soundkeeper, working with the Ocean Conservancy and community members and organizations around the Sound, serves as a regional captain to help promote and organize Puget Sound-wide cleanup events from August through October in celebration of International Coastal Cleanup efforts.
On September 21 2024, Puget Soundkeeper partnered with the Ocean Conservancy to host their flagship ICC cleanup at Alki Beach. 180+ volunteers joined staff on a sunny day, helping collect 150+ lbs of microplastics and debris from the surrounding neighborhoods and shorelines! Read more about this historic event here!
Participating groups and volunteers can use Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell app to record the types of trash we find. Once compiled, the data will inform policy and practical solutions to the global problem of marine debris and plastic pollution. ICC is an opportunity for residents to get involved and help remove litter and debris from our waterways and shorelines, while helping collect important data to inform policies addressing plastic pollution.
In Fall 2024, 740+ volunteers helped remove 2600+ lbs of debris from waterways, neighborhoods, and shorelines across the Puget Sound! Read our 2024 ICC report to learn more about the impact of ICC cleanups across the Puget Sound!
This year, you can be part of the solution and join thousands of people around the world removing trash from local waterways. Participating Puget Sound International Coastal Cleanup locations are listed below. These beach, park, and trail cleanups are open to the public, so find an event near you!
Beach Captain Training
Are you leading an ICC event, or want to learn more about how to use Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell app? Watch this video training, led by Puget Soundkeeper’s Previous Stewardship Manager, Aarin Wilde!
If you’re interested in getting involved in 2025 ICC cleanups, email Tanya, our Stewardship and Education Manager!