KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — More than 8,300 volunteers have collected over 28,500kg of trash from Malaysia’s coastlines as part of this year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICC), with plastic bottles, cigarette butts, and plastic grocery bags once again topping the list of pollutants.

Coordinated by Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), the year-round cleanup activities revealed that 97 per cent of all items collected were made from non-biodegradable materials. The top three items alone accounted for nearly 200,000 individual pieces of litter.

While the findings highlight persistent challenges, RCM chief operating officer Theresa Ng said there was a surge in community action. 

“There is also evidence of increasing awareness and action — more local communities, schools and youth groups are leading initiatives,” she said.

The movement has also received royal backing. Selangor’s Princess Zatashah, a long-time environmental advocate fondly known as the “Princess Beach Cleanup,” participated for her ninth year. 

“Talking about doing the right thing for our environment is easy, but taking action is what truly matters,” she said. 

“I want to thank all the volunteers for proving that actions speak louder than words.”

This year’s ICC also saw strong support from corporate partners. Volunteers from Proton collected over 468kg of waste from Morib Baharu beach, while teams from MST Golf and the Royal Bank of Canada cleared hundreds of kilograms of trash from beaches in Selangor.

On Tioman Island, a separate cleanup event left a lasting impression on tourist Jason Foo, who joined the effort with his family. 

“We were shocked at the amount of rubbish we picked up,” he said. “I learned how rubbish travels across countries — it’s not just a local problem; it’s a global issue.”

Ng said that while the cleanups are vital, they are just the beginning of a larger conversation about tackling marine debris at its source. 

“Moving forward, Reef Check Malaysia will continue working with communities, partners, and policymakers,” she said.