Over 500,000 volunteers mobilized during the 2016 International Cleanup Day


According to the Ocean Conservancy’s 2016 International Coastal Cleanup Report released last June 5th – World Environment Day, over 504,583 volunteers in 112 countries came together to pick up trash found along beaches and coasts in honor of the International Coastal Cleanup. We picked up 3,346,055 kilograms of trash, a total global weight more than the combined weight of 700 African elephants, 400 giraffes, 500 hippos, 600 white rhinos, 200 zebras and 100 lions.  We covered 24,136 kilometers of coastlines enough to walk around the moon twice.

Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Trash Index is the world's largest item-by-item, location-by-location database of trash found in near-shore environments. Last year, we’ve collected enough balloons to lift a 2,200 lb. walrus and enough fishing line to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench – the ocean’s deepest point – nine times over. Some of the more unusual items found in the September 2016 Cleanup include: 56 toilet units, 9 microwaves, 4 drones, 1 piano, 2 typewriters and 5 selfie sticks.

Plastic debris remains a growing concern in the marine environment, and the top five most commonly collected items are cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, and plastic grocery bags, respectively. All are forms of plastic debris. 

In the 2015 Cleanup, the Philippines’ contribution was particularly notable for bringing the highest number of participating volunteers for the Cleanup. In total, more than 250,000 Filipinos retrieved more than 400,000 pieces of trash over a little less than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) of shoreline. These items collectively weighed more than 300,000 kilograms (665,000 pounds), or roughly the same weight as 220 average cars.

ICC Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary are the National Coordinators of the Cleanup in cooperation with the institutional partners, DILG, DepEd, DENR, DOTr, DPWH and DOT.

Download Ocean Conservancy’s report to see how trash impacts the ocean, our beaches and what you can do to help:

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