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International Coastal Cleanup Trinidad & Tobago (ICC) 2025

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ICC 2025: Together We Cleared Over 3,700 Pounds of Garbage at Foreshore Lookout

On Saturday, 20th September, the Foreshore Lookout along the Audrey Jeffers Highway, Port of Spain, came alive with action as leaders, partners, and volunteers, united for the International Coastal Cleanup Trinidad & Tobago (ICC) 2025.

The Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development (MPEAD), through PROMAR, the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), the Environmental Policy & Planning Division (EPPD), and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), in collaboration with the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD) and partners, came together for this global movement to protect our oceans.

Senator Dr. The Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, and Dr. Ava Maxam, Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs, lent their support—demonstrating the importance of national leadership in building a cleaner, healthier coastline.

This year’s results showed just how much collective action can achieve. In 2024, at Hart’s Cut, 80 volunteers collected over 500 pounds of garbage. In 2025, with a larger team of 234 volunteers, we removed an impressive 3,702.5 pounds of garbage from the Foreshore.

Here’s how it worked: volunteers were grouped into teams of four—one dedicated to recording every single item collected, while the other three carefully removed trash from the coastline. This data-driven approach ensures that every bottle, straw, and piece of plastic collected contributes to national and global research on marine litter.

The ICC continues to be a beacon of hope—uniting communities, inspiring collective responsibility, and proving that every action matters. Together, we are making a real difference in the fight against plastic pollution.

Let’s continue to hashtagSeatheChange!

(Story taken from IMA's Facebook page)