PROMAR Guyana Removes Nearly 56 kg of Marine Litter During Beach Cleanup and Sampling Activity at Kingston Seawall

On Saturday, 22 August 2026, the Guyana-PROMAR Project conducted a Beach Cleanup and Sampling Activity at the Kingston Seawall, Georgetown, combining a general coastal cleanup with targeted marine litter sampling to support ongoing efforts to better understand and address waste pollution along Guyana's coastline. The activity formed part of the wider Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project, which continues to strengthen marine litter monitoring and community-driven environmental action across the region.

A total of 18 volunteers took part in the activity, contributing to both the general cleanup and the marine litter sampling exercise. Marine litter sampling was carried out across three designated sites, providing detailed insight into the composition of waste found along the Kingston Seawall and contributing valuable data to PROMAR's ongoing marine litter monitoring efforts. In total, approximately 25.4 kg of waste was collected and documented through the sampling exercise, while the broader cleanup activity removed an additional 30.4 kg of waste from the surrounding area. Together, the sampling and cleanup efforts resulted in approximately 55.8 kg of marine and coastal litter being removed from the Kingston Seawall.

Sampling findings revealed a strong presence of plastic waste, including plastic bottle caps, bottles, bags, cups, food packaging, wrappers, straws, and numerous small or unidentified plastic fragments. Plastic caps and fragmented plastics were especially prevalent, with 83 plastic corks and caps recorded at a single sampling site alone, underscoring the significant role single-use plastics continue to play in marine litter accumulation.

Beverage-related litter was also prominent among the waste collected, including metal bottle caps, plastic bottles, and glass bottles. Among the identifiable brands recorded during sampling, Banks, 592, Rude Boy, and Corona Extra were among the most frequently encountered, offering useful insight into the sources and types of litter reaching Guyana's coastline.

Other items identified during the sampling exercise included food containers and packaging, disposable cutlery, cigarette butts, cardboard, wipes, balloons, and personal-care-related items. Potentially hazardous waste, including broken glass, batteries, and cigarette butts, was also recorded, highlighting the importance of continued monitoring and safe waste handling during future cleanup efforts.

By combining hands-on waste removal with structured data collection, this cleanup and sampling activity contributed valuable information to Guyana-PROMAR's ongoing efforts to better understand the scale and sources of marine litter along the country's coastline. The event also helped raise awareness of plastic pollution and encouraged youth and community participation in practical environmental action, reinforcing PROMAR's broader mission of preventing marine litter, promoting responsible waste management, and protecting Guyana's coastal and marine ecosystems for future generations.