LAST Saturday Jamaica joined the world in observing International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day, with more than 140 groups conducting clean-ups across the island working to “Keep wi island clean.”

Organised locally by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), the national coordinator for ICC Day, the effort once again highlighted the power of collective action in protecting Jamaica’s coastlines and waterways.

ICC Day is typically a one-day volunteer event held on the third Saturday in September.

Volunteers not only remove waste but also document the types and quantities of trash collected. This data helps inform local and global strategies to address marine pollution. The event aims to remove harmful debris from beaches, rivers, and coastal areas while raising awareness about marine pollution.

“We are grateful for the support from site coordinators, sponsors and volunteers who made ICC Day 2025 possible,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET.

JET also hosted its own clean-up at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track, where more than 450 volunteers collected approximately 5,164 pounds of garbage, mostly plastics.

“The dedication of the volunteers is inspiring, but it underscores the urgent need for systemic change to address Jamaica’s plastic pollution crisis. We need stronger measures to both reduce the amount of waste being generated in the first place and to prevent pollution before it happens.

“That means cutting back on single-use plastics, improving waste management systems, and holding polluters accountable. Without bold steps to tackle waste and pollution upstream, we will be cleaning the same beaches year after year,” added Rodriguez-Moodie.

JET is now in the process of collating data from its site coordinators to get an idea of the total volume collected during the clean-up.

Groups have until October 3, 2025, to submit their data to JET. The results will form the basis of its National Report, which will be published in early 2026.

Among those who turned out were volunteers from the National Solid Waste Management Authority with that team’s efforts along the Palisadoes strip in Kingston resulting in the removal of 50 bags of waste, 20 of which contained plastic bottles.

In the meantime, more than 200 volunteers participated in the clean-up of Hellshire Bay Beach in St Catherine through a partnership involving the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

Meanwhile, through the Desnoes & Geddes Foundation’s Care for People & Planet mandate, volunteers joined forces for a major effort at Kingston Harbour.

Armed with gloves, rakes, and garbage bags, the team removed plastics, bottles, tyres, and even discarded furniture from the shoreline, reinforcing the company’s commitment to protecting Jamaica’s environment.

By the end of the exercise, a little over 2,000 pounds of waste was collected.

Volunteers (from left) Chester Grant, Andre Dixon, and Adrian Anderson strain to lift a waterlogged tyre from the shoreline at Kingston Harbour. The effort reflects the determination required to tackle one of the Caribbean’s most polluted harbours.

Rachel Roberts (left), administrative assistant at Pan Jamaica Property Company, and Taquise Morris, health and safety officer at Pan Jamaica Property Company, team up to help record the plastic waste collected at Shipwreck Beach as a part of the ICC Day efforts organised by NEPA.

Digicel Foundation board director Antoinette Heirs (second right), and her son Andre-Joshua Simpson contribute to ICC Day efforts by helping to clear plastics and waste from the shoreline of Gunboat Beach in Kingston.

Operations director at the National Solid Waste Management Authority Aretha McFarlane was among several volunteers who lent their support to waste removal efforts along the Palisadoes strip during ICC Day on Saturday.

Volunteers working to remove debris from Hellshire Bay Beach in St Catherine during a clean-up organised by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) in partnership with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), on Saturday.