From late August into November, thousands of volunteers throughout Massachusetts turn out for COASTSWEEP, the annual statewide beach cleanup sponsored by CZM. COASTSWEEP is part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Volunteers from all over the world collect marine debris—trash, fishing line, and any other human-made items—and record what they find. This information is then analyzed and used to identify sources of marine debris and develop education and policy initiatives to help reduce it.
COASTSWEEP Index
- Become a Cleanup Coordinator or Volunteer - General information on how to organize or participate in a COASTSWEEP cleanup.
- Cleanup List - Volunteer for these Cleanups - The full list of scheduled cleanups (starting in mid-August of each year, new lists are posted weekly).
- Information for Cleanup Coordinators - Details for people who are organizing local cleanups.
- Press and Publications - News and publications on COASTSWEEP and marine debris.
- Volunteers in Action - Quotes from some of the people who make COASTSWEEP a success!
- COASTSWEEP: The Cathartic Art of the Beach Cleanup - A Q&A with Marine Debris Sculptor, Mary Delmonaco.
- About COASTSWEEP - Details on the history of COASTSWEEP, data from the most recent annual cleanup (including list of to 10 items collected), and an overview of the effort.
- Summaries of Annual Cleanups - Links to an overview and summary statistics from past years.
- More on Marine Debris - Information and additional resources on the marine debris problem.
- Contact Us - COASTSWEEP contact information.