How To Participate In Coastal Cleanup Day Around LA

LOS ANGELES — The 35th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, and there are plenty of ways to participate around Los Angeles County.

There are dozens of cleanups scheduled in LA and more than 1,000 locations participating throughout the state, as the event is expected to draw tens of thousands of participants who want to help remove trash from California's beaches and inland waterways, the Clean Water Program said.

But the cleanups are not only on the sand — there are plenty of inland trash cleanups for the California Coastal Cleanup Day as well. Collecting litter on land is critical in helping to prevent ocean pollution, the Clean Water Program said.

Heal the Bay, a nonprofit in the Greater Los Angeles area, is celebrating their 30th year coordinating Coastal Cleanup Day in Los Angeles County. At last year’s Coastal Cleanup Day, Heal the Bay organized 13,464 volunteers and removed 59,600 pounds of trash and debris from L.A. County in a three-hour time span, the Heal the Bay website said.

Litter, and especially plastic, is a hazard to marine wildlife, as animals can get entangled within it or poisoned if they mistake plastic items for food.

Heal the Bay's Coastal Cleanup Day locations are below:

If you're looking for a Heal the Bay coastal cleanup location, these spots could use some extra help, the organization said: Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve, South LA – John Muir Library, Crenshaw – YMCA of Los Angeles, Ballona Creek Bike Path – Syd Kronenthal Park, Ballona Creek Bike Path – Sepulveda Blvd, LA River – Bowtie State Park, Ballona Creek Bike Path – Duquesne Ave, LA River – Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park, Lunada Bay Beach and Playa del Rey – Toes Beach.

For more information, visit Heal the Bay or the California Coastal Commission to find more California Coastal Cleanup Day events near you. Other volunteer opportunities can be found on the statewide event map.