Beach trash - Photo via Heal the Bay
This year's Coastal Cleanup Day promises to be one of the biggest events of its kind yet - and after a tough year, the ocean needs cleanup volunteers now more than ever.
Coastal Cleanup Day will take place on Saturday, September 20, and the Roundhouse Aquarium is partnering with Heal the Bay and the California Coastal Commission for the cleanup effort in Manhattan Beach.
The free event will take place from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Participants are asked to register and sign a waiver in advance; then arrive at the Manhattan Beach Pier at 8:45 a.m. for instructions and a safety briefing.
At the end of the event, all of the trash will be collected and weighed, with data sent to the California Coastal Commission.
The California Coastal Commission is calling this year's cleanup event - the 41st annual event - a "Trashure Hunt." The commission is giving away valuable prizes to the lucky volunteers who happen to find the special pieces of "trash" that will be hidden ahead of time at various cleanup sites across the state. When folks find the "trash" they must follow the instructions on the "trash" to receive a prize.
("Trashure Hunt" t-shirts are available for $25 and can be purchased here.)
Since 1988, the top three trash items found on Coastal Cleanup Day include cigarettes (8.4 million), food wrappers or containers (2.5 million), and caps/lids (2.2 million).
2025 Brings Unique Challenges for Cleanup
This year has been more difficult than most for beach cleanliness, say ocean experts.
Following the 24-day Eaton and Palisades fires, approximately 4.5 million tons of waste were generated—— nearly half of California’s typical annual waste, according to one estimate.
"There are winds and waterways that snake through watersheds carrying the trash and pollution runoff from communities to the coastal habitats throughout the year," said Marissa Wu, aquarist manager at the Roundhouse Aquarium. "This runoff of debris and chemical pollution could increase whenever there are California wildfires during or outside of fire season, and especially if the fire's destruction happens closer to the coastline."
Grace Adams, the aquarium's executive director, added, "Runoff of debris and chemical pollution is also problematic during heavy rain events. Unfortunately, most sewer lines end right on the shore and with heavy rain comes a lot of debris and chemicals that run through pipes that ultimately come to the ocean."
This major cleanup takes place each year at the end of the summer, which is also the most high-traffic time of the year for beach visitors - and beach trash.
"Nature is pretty resilient, so if we help it recover by coming together as a community to clean up, the California coastline and watershed habitats will thrive again," said Wu.