Leonsberg Jetty Cleanup Removes 203 kg of Waste on World Ocean Day 

To mark World Ocean Day 2025, volunteers came together for a large-scale marine litter cleanup at Leonsberg Jetty on Saturday, July 7, 2025. The activity wrapped up weeks of waste characterization studies and encouraged community action to reduce plastic pollution in Suriname’s waterways. 

The event was promoted through social media and drew 29 volunteers, including representatives from the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment (led by Minister Marciano Dasai), the National Youth Council, scouts from the Hopman Sardjoe Group, employees of BGP Oil, and students from the Faculty of Technological Sciences. Working alongside the GHFS team, volunteers extended their cleanup efforts beyond the formal study site, covering the entire Leonsberg Jetty area. 

By the end of the day, 38 bags of waste were collected, weighing 203.77 kilograms. The cleanup revealed that single-use plastics dominated the waste stream, with PET bottles making up nearly half (49.43%) of the total waste. 

This event shows how community-led cleanups can help protect Suriname’s rivers and oceans from plastic waste. It also highlights the urgent need to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste management to keep waterways healthy and clean.