International Coastal Cleanup®2026 · Date · History · Messages
Ocean Conservancy states that the International Coastal Cleanup is held annually on the third Saturday of September, with many cleanups also occurring throughout the month.
About International Coastal Cleanup®
International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC) is Ocean Conservancy’s global volunteer cleanup campaign for beaches, waterways and other places where litter can reach the ocean. The principal annual day is the third Saturday in September, although many participating cleanups take place throughout the month.
Ocean Conservancy traces the campaign to a Texas cleanup in 1986. Volunteers not only collected debris but documented what they found, creating a long-running data component alongside the cleanup work.
Why International Coastal Cleanup® matters
ICC combines hands-on cleanup with standardized debris recording so local volunteer activity can also contribute to understanding patterns in ocean trash.
Participation should be planned around local conditions and organizer guidance. A cleanup is not a reason to handle unknown hazardous objects, injured wildlife or unsafe shoreline debris without appropriate procedures.
History of International Coastal Cleanup®
Ocean Conservancy says the movement began in 1986 after Linda Maraniss, inspired by colleague Kathy O’Hara’s work on marine debris, helped organize the first cleanup in Texas with partners including the Texas General Land Office and local supporters.
The first event asked volunteers to record collected items on standardized data cards as well as remove litter. That data-collection approach became a defining part of the International Coastal Cleanup.
Ocean Conservancy continues to coordinate the ICC with cleanup leaders around the world and identifies the third Saturday of September as the principal annual date, while many cleanups occur across September.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara
Ocean Conservancy says the movement was catalyzed by Maraniss and O’Hara; Maraniss and O’Hara reached out to partners to plan the first Texas cleanup.
Center for Environmental Education / Ocean Conservancy and Texas partners
Ocean Conservancy’s history identifies its 1986 Texas cleanup as the campaign’s beginning; the organization later carried the Ocean Conservancy name.
First documented observance
Ocean Conservancy identifies 1986 in Texas as the first International Coastal Cleanup event.
Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy currently coordinates the International Coastal Cleanup with cleanup leaders worldwide.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
International Coastal Cleanup Day
How to Observe International Coastal Cleanup®
Join an established cleanup and follow the local organizer’s instructions about access, tides, weather, protective clothing and disposal.
If organizing a cleanup, inspect the site for hazards in advance and brief volunteers about sharp items, traffic, unstable ground, power lines and other local risks.
Record debris using the organizer’s data tools when appropriate so the cleanup contributes to both removal and better information about litter.
Leave dead, injured or entangled wildlife to trained professionals, and make sure children have appropriate adult supervision.
International Coastal Cleanup® Facts
The International Coastal Cleanup® began in Texas in 1986.
Ocean Conservancy identifies Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara as central figures in the campaign’s origin.
The principal annual ICC date is the third Saturday in September.
Ocean Conservancy notes that many cleanups also take place throughout September.
Current organizer guidance includes specific safety planning for sharp objects, wildlife and site hazards.
International Coastal Cleanup® Messages
Happy International Coastal Cleanup®—thank you to everyone helping protect waterways with careful, informed action.
Here’s to cleaner shores, safer waterways and volunteers who pair cleanup work with useful data.
May today inspire practical care for the places where land, rivers and ocean connect.
Thank you to cleanup leaders and volunteers who make safety, teamwork and responsible disposal part of protecting the coast.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Ocean Conservancy — Cleanups & ICC (opens in a new tab)
Ocean Conservancy — History (opens in a new tab)
Ocean Conservancy — International Coastal Cleanup (opens in a new tab)
Founding Organizer
Ocean Conservancy — Start a Cleanup / safety guidance (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Coastal Cleanup®?
Third Saturday of September annually; 19 September in 2026 The documented recurrence rule is: Third Saturday of September.
Does International Coastal Cleanup® fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is International Coastal Cleanup® an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Ocean Conservancy / global cleanup campaign. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Coastal Cleanup®?
The reviewed sources identify Center for Environmental Education / Ocean Conservancy and Texas partners as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Ocean Conservancy.
Is International Coastal Cleanup® international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: Ocean Conservancy / global cleanup campaign. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-19.
When is International Coastal Cleanup®?
Ocean Conservancy identifies the third Saturday of September as the principal annual date, while many participating cleanups occur throughout the month.
Who started the International Coastal Cleanup?
Ocean Conservancy traces the 1986 Texas launch to work led by Linda Maraniss and inspired by colleague Kathy O’Hara’s marine-debris research, with local partners helping organize the first cleanup.
Is International Coastal Cleanup only for beaches?
No. Ocean Conservancy includes beaches, rivers, lakes, parks and other places where litter can travel toward waterways and the ocean.
What should volunteers do with hazardous debris or injured wildlife?
Follow organizer and local safety procedures. Do not casually handle dangerous objects or wildlife; use the cleanup’s designated process and leave wildlife handling to qualified professionals.
Other observances on September 18
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National CleanUp Day
The official National CleanUp Day organization states that the observance takes place every year on the third Saturday in September.
National Dance Day
American Dance Movement states that National Dance Day was established in 2010 and, since 2019, takes place annually on the third Saturday in September.