THOUSANDS of volunteers across Jamaica are preparing to take part in International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2026 on Saturday, in a collective effort to remove garbage from beaches, rivers, gullies and other waterways.

Coordinated nationally by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), ICC Day brings together schools, community groups, businesses, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and individuals to take action against marine litter and plastic pollution.

JET Project Manager Jonelle Wright-Smellie said the response to this year’s ICC Day has been good, with more than 170 clean-ups registered to take place across Jamaica.

“We are grateful to 135 groups that have registered to take part this year, and to the organisations supporting ICC Day 2026 in cash and in kind. Their commitment makes it possible for communities across Jamaica to come together and take action to protect our beaches and waterways,” said Wright-Smellie

The theme for ICC Day 2026 is ‘Away is a Place’, which underscores that what we throw away ends up ‘somewhere’ and too often, that ‘somewhere’ is a gully, river, beach, or the Caribbean Sea.

Plastic makes up a significant proportion of the waste collected during ICC clean-ups. This is particularly concerning because plastic does not biodegrade, instead, it remains in the environment for hundreds of years, breaking down into smaller pieces and contributing to ongoing pollution of our land and oceans.

“Clean-ups are important, but they cannot be our long-term solution to plastic pollution. We need to prevent waste at the source and ensure that producers take greater responsibility for the products and packaging they place on the market,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET.

According to Rodriguez-Moodie, JET is calling for stronger action to address plastic pollution, including the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR), measures to reduce unnecessary single-use plastics and problematic packaging, and stronger systems that encourage reuse and recovery.

“Recycling has an important role to play, but the greatest impact comes from using less plastic in the first place and choosing reusable alternatives,” Rodriguez-Moodie added.

She noted that ICC Day is about more than collecting garbage as volunteers record the types and quantities of items collected, with this information submitted to Ocean Conservancy and contributing to a global dataset used to better understand marine litter and inform solutions.

JET will host its flagship clean-up at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track in Kingston, while clean-ups take place in communities across the island.

Wright-Smellie is also reminding volunteers to prepare for the heat. “It’s going to be hot, so bring your hat, water bottle and sunscreen, and remember to stay hydrated throughout the clean-up. We want everyone to stay safe while helping to keep Jamaica clean.”