What is Coastal Cleanup Day?

California Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) is the country’s largest volunteer event in support of the marine environment and the largest volunteer event in San Luis Obispo County. The mission of CCD is to engage people to remove trash and debris from the world’s beaches and waterways; to identify the sources of debris; and ultimately change the behaviors that cause pollution. CCD is a partnership between the community, local non-profit groups, and municipalities that coordinate cleanups at the city and county levels. CCD is a major part of an International Coastal Cleanup, which includes all 50 states and over 100 countries worldwide.

In addition to being the world’s largest single-day volunteer event for the marine environment, CCD is unique because of its data collection. After years of collecting data on the specific types of marine debris found, CCD data now focuses on the activities that cause the debris. The Ocean Conservancy compiles, analyzes, and tracks this data to identify the activities and general sources of the debris. The final information is used to educate the public, businesses, industry, and government officials about the problem of debris. CCD data reports have also influenced public policy on waste management, prompted legislation, and convinced individuals, organizations, and communities to examine their waste handling practices.

Visit the Ocean Conservancy's website to read last year's report on marine debris.