California Coastal Cleanup Day will return Sept. 19, with volunteers expected to gather at hundreds of sites statewide to remove trash from beaches, creeks, rivers and other waterways.
The 42nd annual event, organized by the California Coastal Commission, will take place from 9am-noon. The cleanup has expanded to include all 58 California counties, reflecting the connection between inland waterways and the coast, says a press release from the commission.
The commission is encouraging volunteers to participate ahead of potentially heavy rainfall associated with El Niño conditions. Rain can carry plastic and other debris from inland waterways into the ocean.
In Gilroy, the city has confirmed a Coastal Cleanup Day site in the Uvas area, with volunteers scheduled to gather from 9am-noon. The city will provide more details as the Sept. 19 event approaches.
Morgan Hill also participates in the annual Coastal Cleanup Day, with the city’s environmental services program identifying cleanup along West Little Llagas Creek as part of the event. For details and to register for the volunteer event, visit tinyurl.com/3st6325f.
The statewide Coastal Commission website says it may add more cleanup sites to the 2026 map before Sept. 19.
The cleanup is part of a statewide effort that has attracted nearly 1.9 million volunteers since its launch in 1985, removing more than 13,770 tons of trash, according to the Coastal Commission. Commonly collected items include cigarette filters, food wrappers, plastic straws and other utensils.
California Coastal Cleanup Day has been hailed as the state’s largest volunteer event, with more than 50,000 participants expected at cleanup sites across the state. The event also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act.
“As we celebrate the 50th year of the Coastal Act, Coastal Cleanup Day serves as an important reminder that we all need to show up to protect our coast,” said Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission.
For more information and to find a cleanup event close to you, visit coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html.
