Bill Summary
The resolution celebrates the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), which began in 1986 and has grown into the largest annual volunteer event in the U.S. The ICC mobilizes millions of volunteers worldwide to remove trash from beaches and waterways, significantly contributing to environmental conservation efforts. Over its history, the ICC has seen nearly 19 million volunteers collect over 400 million pounds of ocean trash across 155 countries. The resolution emphasizes the impact of these cleanups, particularly in raising awareness about plastic pollution, while recognizing that cleanups alone cannot solve the plastic crisis. It encourages public participation in ICC activities and stresses the importance of reducing plastic production at its source.
Possible Impacts
The resolution celebrating the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) can affect people in various ways. Here are three examples:
1. **Community Engagement and Volunteerism**: The resolution encourages individuals and communities to participate in ICC activities, which can lead to increased local engagement and a sense of community. People may come together to organize or join cleanup events, fostering teamwork and collaboration while promoting environmental stewardship. This participation not only helps clean local environments but also builds relationships among community members.
2. **Awareness and Education on Plastic Pollution**: By highlighting the issue of plastic pollution and the importance of reducing it, the resolution can educate the public about environmental issues. This increased awareness may lead individuals to adopt more sustainable practices in their daily lives, such as reducing single-use plastics, recycling, and supporting policies aimed at environmental protection. As more people become informed about the consequences of plastic waste, there could be a broader societal shift towards sustainability.
3. **Support for Environmental Policies and Initiatives**: The resolution's support for the goals of the ICC may inspire policymakers and local governments to implement more robust environmental initiatives and regulations aimed at reducing plastic waste. As communities and organizations rally around the ICC's mission, there may be greater advocacy for policies that address the root causes of plastic pollution, which can lead to long-term changes in how plastics are produced, used, and managed. This can have significant implications for public health, wildlife conservation, and overall environmental quality.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 588 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 588
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 27, 2026
Mr. Van Hollen (for himself, Ms. Alsobrooks, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr.
Heinrich, and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup.
Whereas the first International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) began in 1986 along the
coastline of Texas, led by Linda Maraniss and Kathy O'Hara of Ocean
Conservancy's predecessor organization;
Whereas the ICC spread to other States the following year and has become the
largest annual volunteer event in the United States;
Whereas Canada and Mexico began hosting ICC events in 1989;
Whereas, since 1986, nearly 19,000,000 volunteers have joined local cleanup
efforts to remove over 400,000,000 pounds of ocean trash from beaches
and waterways from 155 countries around the globe and nearly every State
in the country;
Whereas, in 2024 alone, over 486,000 volunteers came out to conduct cleanups of
all shapes and sizes, in over 100 countries and almost every State,
collecting 7,500,000 pounds of trash globally;
Whereas a network of partners, including nonprofits and State and local
governments, coordinate the cleanup of hundreds of sites along the
coasts of the United States;
Whereas, nationwide, nearly 140,000,000 individual trash items and 122,500,000
pounds of trash have been removed from the environment and recorded via
the ICC data card or Clean Swell app;
Whereas data collected by ICC volunteers has resulted in the world's largest
database of trackable, comparable data on ocean trash, totaling over
420,000,000 items, which is collected and published by Ocean Conservancy
and is the largest and longest running citizen science ocean trash
dataset in the world;
Whereas, as of 2025, 43 peer-reviewed scientific papers have used data from the
ICC and more than 290 have cited the ICC;
Whereas over 70 percent of all ocean trash items collected through the ICC over
the past 4 decades in the United States have been single-use plastics;
Whereas cleanups will not solve the plastic pollution crisis, but continue to
play a vital role in reducing ocean plastic pollution;
Whereas, in 4 decades, the ICC has built a groundswell of ocean advocates and
helped to raise awareness around the plastic pollution crisis;
Whereas local cleanups have an immediate, positive impact on the environment and
communities and prevent future harm from plastics already out in the
world;
Whereas participating in the ICC is one simple way that anyone, anywhere can
take action for the oceans, whether on the coast or far inland; and
Whereas September 2025 marked the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal
Cleanup: Now: therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates 2025 as the 40th anniversary of the
International Coastal Cleanup;
(2) supports the goals and ambitions of the International
Coastal Cleanup;
(3) encourages the people of the United States to
participate in International Coastal Cleanup activities; and
(4) highlights the importance of reducing plastic pollution
and addressing the problem at its source by producing less
plastics.
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