40 Volunteers Remove 247 Pounds of Trash from Alki Beach

When volunteers hit Alki Beach last Saturday morning, they weren't just picking up trash. They were creating data that could change laws.

Almost 40 people joined Puget Soundkeeper's annual Sound Sweep Series International Coastal Cleanup across two Seattle locations. Together, they pulled 247 pounds of waste from the shoreline, preventing hundreds of plastic pieces from ending up in the bellies of local wildlife.

What made this cleanup different was the science component. Volunteers didn't just bag the debris; they counted and recorded every item they found. That data now lives in an international database that environmental groups and lawmakers use to push for stronger pollution protections.

The haul painted a clear picture of how waste reaches Puget Sound. Volunteers collected 250 cigarette butts, construction materials, Styrofoam dock pieces, fishing line, and balloon debris. Each item told a story about human activity along the waterfront.

The Ripple Effect

Tanya Balaji, Stewardship and Education Manager at Puget Soundkeeper, says the data collection is what gives people hope. "Removing marine debris from our waterways is important, but producing data that can be used to push for legislative action makes a huge difference," she explains. "It's a really simple way for communities to join and fight for change."

The cleanup was part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy, a global movement that connects local action to worldwide environmental protection. By contributing to this larger effort, Seattle volunteers joined thousands of others around the globe working toward cleaner oceans.

Puget Soundkeeper partners with communities across the region to protect local waterways through legal advocacy and hands-on stewardship. Other groups like A Cleaner Alki host similar events throughout the year, giving residents multiple chances to make a direct impact on their shorelines.

Anyone interested in joining future cleanups can find opportunities at pugetsoundkeeper.org, where the organization regularly posts upcoming volunteer events and ways to reduce plastic pollution in daily life.