Safe and Local

September marks the 36th annual California Coastal Cleanup . This year, rather than meeting up at public events throughout the state on a single date, cleanups will happen every Saturday throughout the month. (If Saturdays don't work for you, don't let that stop you! Clean up during any day and time that works for you.) 

Cleanups will be self-guided and close to home. Local parks, shores, creeks, streets, sidewalks, drainage areas, natural areas, and trails are good choices. Participants must practice physical distancing, and must strictly follow both local ordinances and the set of guidelines provided on the California Coastal Commission website. Safety first!

Although the cleanup model will be different in 2020, it will still be an effective, educational, community-building event. Trash within our neighborhoods will become the trash polluting our coast once the rains come. We need your help to record your participation, and your diligence to collect data on all litter you remove, upstream or down.

CleanSwell App and Data Keeping


Please count every piece of trash you collect! Reporting thoroughly and accurately will help put together a more complete picture of Coastal Cleanup 2020. Data will be collected primarily through the CleanSwell app for smartphones, or you can download the paper data card: English / Spanish .
Connecting with your Coordinator

Your County Coordinator will be your main contact for learning about local conditions and how to report results. The list below has email contacts and website links (note that not all of the websites have been updated yet with the 2020 event info).

Info for the Boating Community

If you are a boater, or belong to a boating facility,
and want to participate:

  • Report to your County Coordinator (and to Vivian Matuk [email protected]) the date and location where you will be conducting your local cleanup (waterways, beaches, parks, neighborhoods, etc.)

  • Please provide the name of your boating facility (marina, yacht club, organization, association, aquatic center, etc.)
Removing styrofoam trash from a park
Coastal Cleanup 2020 Poster
This September, let's help clean the beach by cleaning up in our own neighborhoods and local natural areas.

Beach cleanups start at our own front doors. Trash travels through storm drains, creeks, and rivers to become beach pollution.

Cleaning up on a creek trail
Protect Your Happy Place
Print/Download Posters Here
*By participating you understand and agree that neither the State of California or California Coastal Commission may be held liable or responsible in any way for any injury, death, or other damages to you or your family, heirs, or assigns that may occur as a result of your participation, or as a result of product liability or the negligence, whether passive or active, of any party in connection with the cleanups. Have fun and remember, safety first!

Thank you for caring for our communities and protecting the coast and ocean.
Stay healthy.

California Coastal Commission Public Education Program CoastalCleanupDay.org