Every piece of litter removed from a beach is one less piece threatening the ocean. That is the simple premise behind an invitation extended to Capetonians this International Coastal Cleanup Day, as the Two Oceans Aquarium’s Trash Bash team partners with Visions for Change SA for a community beach cleanup at Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg.

The event takes place on Saturday 19 September – the third Saturday of September, which marks the globally observed International Coastal Cleanup Day – and runs from 09:00 to 11:00. Volunteers are asked to bring reusable gloves, a bucket, sun protection and enthusiasm.

A global movement, locally anchored

International Coastal Cleanup Day, coordinated internationally by the Ocean Conservancy, mobilises millions of volunteers across more than 100 countries each year to remove litter from coastlines, rivers and public spaces. For Cape Town, that global movement finds a local foothold on the shores of False Bay.

“As communities around the world come together to clean coastlines, rivers and public spaces, this Trash Bash beach cleanup offers Cape Town residents a practical way to be part of a global movement tackling litter and plastic pollution, one piece at a time,” said Devon Bowen, marketing manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium. “We look forward to making a difference together.”

Why Sunrise Beach?

The choice of Sunrise Beach is no coincidence. The stretch of coastline falls within the False Bay Hope Spot – an area designated by Mission Blue, the global marine conservation organisation founded by renowned oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle, in recognition of its exceptional marine biodiversity and importance to ocean health.

Cape RADD, a False Bay-based research organisation, first nominated False Bay as a Hope Spot in 2019. The Two Oceans Aquarium joined as co-champion in February 2024, bringing more than two decades of conservation and community engagement experience to the role. Together, the two organisations work to build awareness of the marine life, habitats, and ecosystems that make False Bay one of six Hope Spots along the South African coastline.

By bringing volunteers together on this stretch of coast, the Trash Bash initiative connects local action with a much wider international effort to protect the ocean.

The problem with plastic

Plastic pollution is a global problem, but much of it begins locally. Plastic bottles, food packaging, bottle tops, bags and countless smaller fragments regularly make their way onto Cape Town’s coastline. Some are left behind on beaches; others travel through streets, rivers and stormwater systems before eventually reaching the ocean.

Once in the marine environment, plastic can persist for many years, breaking down into increasingly smaller pieces and posing a risk to marine wildlife – from entanglement and ingestion to the disruption of entire food webs.

International Coastal Cleanup Day draws attention to this challenge by mobilising communities worldwide to tackle litter where they live. It also demonstrates what can be achieved when thousands of individual actions become part of a collective effort.

“Beach cleanups are vital as they prevent plastic and other litter from being deposited into the ocean and beyond our shores,” said Heather Wares, communications manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium. “Cleaning a beach is one of many easy and enjoyable ways of contributing to our responsibility for ensuring a healthy natural environment. It also gives people an opportunity to connect with nature and their community.”

More than picking up litter

A beach cleanup is about more than the volume of waste collected in a few hours. The litter gathered can help identify patterns in the waste reaching the coastline, prompting larger conversations about where it comes from, how it reaches the ocean and what everyday choices can prevent it.

No single action will solve plastic pollution, but small changes multiplied across communities can have a meaningful impact. Carrying reusable shopping bags and water bottles, choosing products with less unnecessary packaging, refusing single-use items when they are not needed and disposing of waste responsibly are all ways individuals can reduce their environmental footprint.

How to take part

The Two Oceans Aquarium and Visions for Change SA invite all Capetonians to join the cleanup at Sunrise Beach, Muizenberg, on Saturday 19 September from 09:00 to 11:00. Bring reusable gloves, a bucket, sun protection and enthusiasm – and spend the morning giving something back to one of Cape Town’s treasured coastal spaces.

Protecting the ocean does not always begin with something big. Sometimes it begins with picking up what should never have been left behind.