Cyprus, Commissioner Costas Kadis has officially launched this year’s edition of the #EUBeachCleanup campaign.
The #EUBeachCleanup campaign
Since 2018, the #EUBeachCleanup has been a global campaign against marine litter, raising awareness of the impact of our habits and pollution on the ocean and marine habitats.
It is organised by the European Union in partnership with the United Nations and the Smurfs.
It matters because
- 80% of marine litter comes from land.
- 85% of that waste is plastic — a material that can take up to 500 years to break down. It is a serious risk to marine life and human health, as plastic works its way into the food chain.
- In European seas alone, an estimated 626 million pieces of floating waste - weighing over 3,300 tonnes - are added every year.
How to join
The campaign is open to organisations, NGOs, universities, or any group wanting to help raise awareness:
- Find a place: beach, riverside, park – every event counts as the sea starts right in the middle of our cities
- Find a date: anytime between June and October – but especially on 20 September for World Clean-up Day
- Register your event
- Use social media material and the hashtag #EUBeachCleanup
- Start the clean-up
- Share your results
- Publication date
- 26 June 2026