California Coastal Cleanup Day
September 19, 2026

Join us for the 42nd annual California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 19th from 9 AM to Noon!

Coastal Cleanup Day is California's largest annual volunteer event. Join your friends and neighbors to help remove trash from beaches and inland waterways across the entire state. Help protect wildlife and our own health by eliminating plastic pollution before it can cause any more harm.

Check back later in the summer for a map of cleanup site locations and our 2026 t-shirt design.

Special thanks to Phyllis Shafer for the generous donatoin of her artwork for this year's posters.

Participate | Learn | Support & Share | Purchase a T-Shirt

Share your #CoastalCleanupDay with us on social media

coast4u@coastal.ca.gov

Donate to support Coastal Cleanup Day

California Coastal Cleanup Day poster. Looking down out of a narrow coastal cove. In the foreground are California poppies and other coastal plants. Clouds in the sky are depicted as playful swirls. Text: California Coastal Cleanup Day. dSeptember 19th, 2026, 9am-12pm. coastalcleanupday.org

California Coastal Cleanup Day poster. A gently meandering stream runs through an alpine meadow, with high peaks in the distance. Clouds in the sky are depicted as playful swirls. Text: California Coastal Cleanup Day. dSeptember 19th, 2026, 9am-12pm. coastalcleanupday.org

Cartel del Día de la Limpieza Costera de California. Mirando hacia abajo desde una estrecha cala costera. En primer plano hay amapolas de California y otras plantas costeras. Las nubes en el cielo se representan como remolinos juguetones. Texto: El Día de Limpieza Costera de California. 19 de septiembre de 2026, 9am-12pm. coastalcleanupday.org

Cartel del Día de la Limpieza Costera de California. Un arroyo serpenteante suavemente atraviesa un prado alpino, con picos altos a lo lejos. Las nubes en el cielo se representan como remolinos juguetones. Texto: El Día de Limpieza Costera de California. 19 de septiembre de 2026, 9am-12pm. coastalcleanupday.org

Map of 2026 Cleanup Locations Coming Soon!

Participate

Participating in California Coastal Cleanup Day is easy! Follow these steps:

1. On the map above (coming soon), click on the cleanup you want to attend and read the instructions. Some sites require pre-registration, others allow you to simply drop in on the morning of the cleanup. Please check the date carefully as not all cleanups will take place on September 19.
2. Complete our online waiver of liability (Coming soon.)
3. Gather reusable cleanup supplies from home, like a bucket and gardening gloves. Cleanup supplies, as well as liability waivers, will be available at each cleanup site if needed.
4. Show up at your cleanup site at the designated time and day. Check in with on-site cleanup staff and start cleaning!
5. Continue your efforts after Coastal Cleanup Day by participating in the Adopt-A-Beach Program, by conducting a Self-Guided Cleanup, or a Schoolyard Cleanup, any time during the year!

Additional Links:

The CleanSwell App: Download before you go to log data during the cleanup
Tips for Educators, Youth Groups, and Parents
Beach Wheelchair Availability
Boating Facilities
Printable Data Cards in English or Spanish

Learn

Support

What is Coastal Cleanup Day?

Coastal Cleanup Day is California's largest annual volunteer event. It is an opportunity for people across the state to clean our creeks, rivers, lakes, coast, and shorelines of all kinds, to help restore our environment. Virtually every body of water in California ultimately flows to the ocean, and that water can carry a lot of trash. That's why Coastal Cleanup Day takes place throughout the state – no matter where you're cleaning, you are helping to protect our coast and ocean.

California Coastal Cleanup Day is organized by the California Coastal Commission in partnership with many NGOs and local government partners around the state. It is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Ocean Conservancy, which is the largest volunteer event on the planet!