KINGSTON, Jamaica — September 18, 2026: The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) will deepen its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development this weekend through participation in a two-day programme of activities marking International Coastal Clean-up Day (ICCD) 2026.
Under the theme “See the Change: Away is a Place,” the initiative will reinforce the message that improperly discarded waste does not simply disappear. Instead, it often finds its way into drains, gullies, waterways and ultimately Jamaica’s coastal and marine environment.
For 2026 the UDC’s main activities will take place at New Forum Fishing Beach, St Catherine, on Saturday, September 19 with approximately 250 participants anticipated for the New Forum exercise in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The Corporation has a longstanding history of collaborating with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) on International Coastal Clean-up activities so on the same day, the UDC will be providing support to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) as they lead clean-up at the Shipwreck Beach as well as clean-up activities the following day Sunday September 20, at Hellshire Bay Beach.
Sara Simpson, Director of Natural Resource Management and Environment Planning at the UDC, said the initiative goes beyond the physical removal of (solid) waste.
“International Coastal Clean-up gives us an opportunity to remind Jamaicans that there really is no place called ‘away’. When waste is improperly discarded, it goes somewhere, and very often our communities, beaches, waterways and marine ecosystems bear the consequences. Sustainable development therefore requires not only good infrastructure, but responsible behaviour from all of us.”
The clean-up activities support the UDC’s wider environmental strategy and its commitment to protecting and sustainably managing assets in the national interest. The programme will also provide an opportunity to engage beach users and surrounding communities on the impact of improper solid-waste disposal and plastic pollution. Participants will be encouraged to practise the 3Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle while data on waste collected will be gathered for submission to international organisers, Ocean Conservancy.
The message is also consistent with the UDC’s broader approach to sustainable and climate-resilient development at facilities such as Portmore Resilience Park, Harmony Beach Park and Kingston Waterfront Improvement Project, where the Corporation continues to emphasise the relationship between well-designed public infrastructure, environmental protection and responsible community use.
Simpson says, maintaining public spaces requires partnership. “We can create resilient parks, beaches and recreational spaces, but their long-term success depends heavily on how people use and protect them. Keeping drains and waterways free of garbage, respecting landscaping and facilities, properly disposing of waste and reducing our dependence on single-use items are simple actions that collectively make our communities cleaner and more resilient.”
The UDC is encouraging Jamaicans to view International Coastal Clean-up as more than an annual event, but as a catalyst for lasting behavioural change.
“See the Change: Away is a Place” challenges every Jamaican to think about where waste eventually ends up and to recognise that protecting the country’s natural and built environment is a shared responsibility.
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