Rhode Islanders can volunteer to remove and record trash from lakes, waterways, and beaches.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – September 10, 2025 – Last week, the Ocean Conservancy released its 2025 annual report, which highlights the efforts of nearly half a million volunteers worldwide who gathered in coastal and inland communities to remove nearly 18 million pieces of trash as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Save The Bay, as the Rhode Island coordinator for the ICC, is calling on volunteers to be a part of the global movement once again and #SeaTheChange at Ocean Conservancy’s 40th International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC), the world’s largest volunteer effort to remove and record trash from lakes, waterways, and beaches. Cleanups will be happening around the state from September through November; volunteers can learn more and sign up for a cleanup at savebay.org/icc.
Globally, the top three items collected were food wrappers (1,442,860 collected), plastic beverage bottles (1,284,225 collected) and cigarette butts (1,227,124 collected). Locally, 2,755 volunteers collected 116,087 total pieces of trash, with cigarette butts (24,988) being the number one item collected in Rhode Island.
Every year, millions of tons of trash—including an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste—flows into the ocean, impacting more than 800 marine species and even entering the food chain. Since the first ICC in 1986, nearly 19 million volunteers have joined local cleanup efforts, big and small, to remove over 400 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways around the globe, all the while logging each item and building the world’s largest database on marine debris, totaling over 420 million items.
Rhode Islanders can once again contribute to the world’s largest database on marine debris by volunteering at various Save The Bay cleanups across the state or collecting data at a cleanup of their own. Individuals can also log the trash they collect in Ocean Conservancy’s award-nominated Clean Swell® app (available for free download from the App Store and Google Play). Scientists, researchers, industry leaders and policymakers rely on Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Trash Index to inform policy and determine solutions to the growing marine debris crisis. Click here for full information on all the ways to get involved locally.
“The 2025 International Coastal Cleanup results remind us that every piece of trash removed from our local shores contributes to a healthier global ocean,” said July Lewis, Volunteer and Internship Manager for Save The Bay.
“We are so proud to celebrate the International Coastal Cleanup’s last 40 years of impact,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes. “Every piece of plastic collected makes a tangible difference for our ocean and all the creatures that call it home. When you take part in the International Coastal Cleanup, you are helping to protect marine animals and habitats and contribute to research and advocacy.”
Save The Bay’s 2025 ICC cleanups will occur from September through November. Learn how to get involved at: https://volunteer.savebay.org/international-coastal-cleanup/.
About Save The Bay
Founded in 1970, the Rhode Island-based nonprofit Save The Bay seeks to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its 1,705-square-mile watershed. The organization works to achieve its vision of a fully swimmable, fishable Narragansett Bay, accessible to all, through its advocacy, education, and habitat restoration and adaptation work. Learn more about Save The Bay at www.savebay.org.
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