Meet the women who turned beach cleanups into a global movement – and what was forgotten along the way

In October 1984, volunteers on the coast of Oregon hauled away 26 tonnes of waste in a single day, most of it plastics. It was the first beach cleanup of its kind – part scientific survey, part environmental action – and it helped expose how the plastic industry was polluting the ocean.

Today, however, beach cleanups risk becoming feel-good exercises that let the industry off the hook. Over the decades, the focus shifted. And up until fairly recently, associated reports no longer…

© La Conversation - lundi 15 septembre 2025