ADVISORY: Ocean Conservancy Invites Washingtonians to Join World’s Largest Beach Cleanup in Anacostia Park

WASHINGTON – Ocean Conservancy is calling for volunteers in the Washington, D.C. area to join its flagship annual International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC) at Anacostia Park on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Now in its 41st year, Ocean Conservancy’s ICC is the largest beach and waterway cleanup effort in the world, with cleanups happening in over 100 countries.

“Every piece of plastic collected by International Coastal Cleanup volunteers makes a tangible difference for our ocean and all the creatures that call it home,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups and D.C. resident, Allison Schutes. “Even though the Anacostia River may seem far from the ocean, plastic pollution can travel many miles downstream, so inland waterway cleanups like this one have a real impact.” 

Every year, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic waste are estimated to enter the ocean, impacting nearly 1,300 species of marine life, including seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals. According to a recent Ocean Conservancy-led study, even small amounts of plastic pollution can be deadly to marine life when ingested. For example, less than three sugar cubes of plastic is enough to kill a seabird. 

In addition to the direct benefit of removing trash from the environment, the data collected by ICC volunteers using the Clean Swell® app or paper data sheets contribute to Ocean Conservancy’s marine litter database. This database is the world’s largest repository of marine debris data and is used to inform scientists, conservation groups, and governments about ocean trash to fuel plastic pollution prevention and advocacy efforts. ICC data were recently used in a peer-reviewed study that shows plastic bag bans lead to reduced plastic bag pollution. ICC data have also been instrumental in spurring policy change–from being used to promote California’s SB 54, to the Florida balloon release ban, to the federal Farewell to Foam Act.

This year, volunteers will also be able to use a brand new feature in CleanSwell®: the Wildlife Impact Calculator, which enables volunteers to determine how many marine animals they are helping protect with their efforts. The calculator was based on award-winning peer-reviewed research led by Ocean Conservancy scientists that estimates the lethal threshold for plastic ingestion for sea birds, sea turtles and marine mammals.

Members of the press can RSVP for the ICC in Washington, D.C. or set up an interview with a local expert by contacting Roya Fox at [email protected] or 202.280.6285.

Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup® supporters help this important work come to life. They include Hard Rock International, Warner Brothers Discovery, Pacific Life Foundation, Bank of America, Stanley 1913, KPMG LLP and XTRATUF.

The International Coastal Cleanup media kit with photos, b-roll and data can be found HERE.

You can find toplines from the 2025 ICC data HERE.

The Eventbrite link for volunteers can be found HERE.

You can find the full 2025 ICC report HERE.

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ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY   For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram.