News Release

International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) to be held on Saturday, September 16

Date: August 11, 2023
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 360-565-3005

PORT ANGELES, WA — The International Coastal Cleanup is an event that began in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy and has grown into an international cleanup event. Volunteers from states and territories throughout the United States and more than 150 countries come together to participate in a cleanup event near them. At Olympic National Park, volunteers take to the beaches and remove tons of trash. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 16.  

Olympic National Park will be targeting several beaches this year: Ruby Beach, Third Beach, and the Ozette Beaches. Many of these areas are within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, which can present some challenges to volunteers. Motor vehicles are prohibited at all park beaches, so volunteers must be prepared to hike to the beach, walk along the beach and collect trash, and carry that litter and debris back to the parking area. In some instances, this could be three or more miles. Besides using garbage bags to clear debris, some volunteers tie multiple buoys or floats to their framed backpacks while others may roll out automobile tires one by one.  

“It takes all kinds of ingenuity and lots of sweat to keep the coast clean,” says Olympic National Park’s Volunteer Coordinator, Heather Stephens.      

Camping will be available to volunteers free of charge for one night, either the night before on September 15 or after the event on September 16. Camping will be first come, first serve, and participants will receive information about how to request camping after registering for the event. If volunteers elect to clean up Ozette beaches, they may receive a backcountry permit free of charge for September 16.  

Pre-registration is encouraged. Deadline to pre-register and possibly receive free camping is September 8 at 10 PM.  

Third Beach Registration- Volunteer.gov Third Beach Registration 

Ruby Beach Registration- Volunteer.gov Ruby Beach Registration 

Ozette Beaches Registration- Volunteer.gov Ozette Beaches Registration 

Walkup registration is possible, but not guaranteed. Registration tables will be open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Third Beach and Ruby Beach parking areas. The registration table at the Ozette trailhead will be open from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  

“Olympic National Park protects over 70-miles of the most primitive, natural coastline in the lower 48-states,” said park superintendent Sula Jacobs. “Unfortunately, the entire coastline is victim to a nearly continuous flow of marine debris and single-use plastics that wash ashore from the Pacific Ocean. These coastal cleanups are immensely important in keeping our beaches as trash free and clean as possible. We cannot express how thankful we are of these incredible volunteers that take the time and human power to keep the beaches clean.” 

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