Submitted by San Juan County

This fall’s focus is on removing microplastics from local beaches.

Get involved with your community and help keep our islands beautiful by joining the 2024 Fall Great Islands Clean-up. This fall, the event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21. Islanders of all ages are welcome to register and participate in cleaning up designated beaches or roads. Afterward, bring the collected items to a central meeting point where they will be tallied up.

This fall’s focus is on removing microplastics from the beaches.

“Each tiny piece of microplastic collected from the beach is a step toward healing our oceans and protecting marine life,” said Katie Fleming, the Solid Waste Program Coordinator for San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship. “It’s the small actions that make the biggest difference.”

For more information about specific clean-up locations on San Juan, Orcas, Shaw, and Lopez Islands, visit plasticfreesalishsea.org/events. Please note that the litter drop-off day for Shaw Island will be on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Don’t forget to share your clean-up adventures on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #GICU2024, or send them to katief@sanjuancountywa.gov. Let’s work together to make a positive impact in our islands!

The Great Islands Clean-up, organized bi-annually every Spring and Fall, is a collaborative effort led by the County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship Solid Waste Program in partnership with Orcas Recycling Services, Lautenbach Recycling, Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District, San Juan Sanitation, Friends of the San Juans, the Stewardship Network of the San Juans, and many individual, business, and service group volunteers. The event is made possible through funding from the Washington Department of Ecology’s Community Litter Cleanup Program.