Registration is open now for the 2020 International Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 19.
The annual cleanup will be unique, in that volunteers will be asked to follow all COVID-19 guidelines set out by the state Department of Health and many beaches are closed.
All beaches in Olympic National Park and on the NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary as well as those on the tribal lands of the Makah, Quinault, Quileute and Hoh are shut down to protect the health of coastal communities from the unique coronavirus pandemic.
Washington CoastSavers is urging people to clean up beaches close to home.
About 15 beaches on the North Olympic Peninsula are available for volunteer clean up. To register, and for more information, go to https://www.coast savers.org/index.php/icc-cleanup/
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center will participate between 9 :30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Volunteers will gather at the museum entrance under the portico to get instructions, locations, trash bags and gloves before heading out to area beaches.
During the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup last September, over 1 million people removed more than 24 million pounds of trash from some 25,000 miles of coastline.
Beach cleanups have been taking place on the southern Washington coast since 1971, with early efforts organized by the Pacific Northwest 4-Wheel Drive Association and Washington State Parks.
Efforts were expanded with the Olympic Coast Cleanup in 1999 to remove marine debris from the northern Washington coastal beaches.
Today, Washington CoastSavers is made up of thousands of volunteers, an executive committee, a steering committee, and a program coordinator.
The steering committee is comprised of representatives from private organizations, nonprofits and government agencies, including individuals from the Lions Club International, Discover Your Northwest, Grass Roots Garbage Gang, Surfrider Foundation, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Clallam County Waste Management, Pacific Shellfish Growers Association, Clallam County Marine Resources Committee, NOAA Marine Debris Program, Olympic National Park, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the latter serving as the fiscal agent.
For more information, email coordinator@coastsavers.org.
