Lead a Sound Sweep Cleanup
Your shoreline. Your community. Your cleanup.
Become a Puget Soundkeeper Beach Captain and organize a cleanup at a beach, shoreline, park, creek, or waterfront near you.
You choose the place. We help with the rest.
- YOU LEAD THE CLEANUP
Recruit volunteers, remove trash, and document what you find. - YOU PICK THE SITE
Choose a shoreline or waterway that matters to you. - WE PROVIDE SUPPORT
Get guidance, cleanup supplies, safety information, and help getting started.
Become a Beach Captain
We are currently seeking Beach Captains to lead a cleanup within the Puget Sound region. What does a Beach Captain do?
- Pick a place: Choose a shoreline, park, creek, beach, or other location.
- Pick a date: Schedule your cleanup from September 1st through November 30th so we can include it in our Sound Sweep Series annual report.
- Recruit your crew
- Coordinate supply pickup and dropoff
- Recruit your crew
- Carry out the cleanup
- Record what you find: Use the Clean Swell app to document the debris collected so your data can help inform legislation.
We recommend reading the cleanup handbook below for more information about the expectations and responsibilities. Once you have read through the document, we ask that you fill out the following forms to indicate your interest in being a Beach Captain. A staff member will reach out within 7 business days once you complete the forms.
Puget Soundkeeper Beach Captain Waiver
Questions? Reach out to us! (cleanups@pugetsoundkeeper.org).
Would you rather join an existing cleanup? Check out our Events Page to see what cleanups are available as part of the Sound Sweep Series!
More about the Sound Sweep Series
The Sound Sweep Series is a Puget Soundkeeper initiative designed to mobilize volunteers across Puget Sound to connect with their local waters and participate in activities that protect their waterways from pollution.
The Sound Sweep Series will also incorporate optional data collection opportunities through Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) initiative. Volunteers may opt to participate in debris data collection efforts, which help researchers, policymakers, and environmental organizations better understand pollution sources impacting waterways globally.
The Sound Sweep season includes cleanup events occurring annually between September 1 and November 30. Puget Soundkeeper will then produce an annual report consolidating data from the cleanups across Puget Sound where ICC data was collected. Scroll down to learn more about our 2025 Report and our findings!
Through collective action, community engagement, and data-driven advocacy, this series aims to reconnect residents with their local waterways, while creating healthier aquatic ecosystems throughout the Puget Sound region.
Documents and Trainings
Check out our Cleanup Handbook today!
Watch our Training Video today!
Fall 2025 Report
In Fall 2025, 560 volunteers helped remove over 2,000 pounds of debris from waterways, neighborhoods, and shorelines across the Puget Sound region. Read our 2025 ICC report below to learn more about the impact of ICC cleanups in our area!
