KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are being encouraged by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) to volunteer in efforts to clean up the country’s beaches and waterways for International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day on September 20, 2025.

“In Jamaica, ICC Day has become a movement—powered by thousands of volunteers, big-hearted sponsors and communities who care deeply about our environment,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, chief executive officer of JET.

This year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day is being observed under the theme “Sea the Change”.

In 2024, 109 groups consisting of 5,802 volunteers removed 69,010 pounds of waste from 272 miles of Jamaican coastline, across 168 cleanups in all 14 parishes. The top items collected included plastic bottles, caps, plates, cups and plastic/ foam pieces—waste that does not biodegrade and poses a major threat to marine life and human health.

“This year, we are again encouraging cleanup groups to pay close attention to plastic foam—one of the most persistent and problematic forms of marine litter,” said Justin Saunders, JET programme director. “Foam items like food containers, cups and packaging are largely not recyclable and break down into tiny pieces that pollute our coastlines and harm marine ecosystems.”

JET says site coordinator registration is open until July 23, 2025 for those interested in hosting their own ICC Day cleanups. Groups are being urged to register with JET to participate. Individual volunteers or groups who want to join JET’s flagship cleanup at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track will be able to sign up between August 18- 29, 2025.

“Since the plastic ban was introduced in 2019, we’ve seen a reduction in the amount of plastic collected during ICC cleanups. This may be due in part to fewer volunteers in recent years, but it also likely reflects growing awareness, initiatives like the deposit refund scheme for plastic bottles and the installation of garbage barriers in Kingston gullies under projects like The Ocean Cleanup. These are encouraging signs that change is possible and we would love to see a return to the massive volunteer turnout of 2019, when over 12,000 Jamaicans joined the effort across the island,” said Dr Rodriguez-Moodie.

She added, “Cleanups are just one part of the solution, but they’re a meaningful entry point. They inspire change, support public education, and give people a direct way to be part of the solution. We also need continued investment in waste reduction, recycling, and public awareness campaigns like Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica.”