Community Comes Together for the 2025 International Coastal Cleanup in Cedar Key

Written by Emily Colson, Communications Specialist at UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station

*A volunteer at the check-in table grabing supplies. Photo credit: Emily Colson, UF/IFAS NCBS.*

Thank you to all the volunteers who came out by land and sea to make the 40th Annual International Coastal Cleanup in Cedar Key a success! On September 20, 2025, 371 volunteers joined forces to remove 15,807 pounds of trash and collect 6,343 individual items from local shorelines, waterways, marshes, and mangroves.

This was Cedar Key’s 19th year participating in the global effort to keep our oceans clean, and the results remind us how important regular cleanups are for our community and environment.

Top 10 Items Collected in Cedar Key

Cigarette butts – 2,222
Plastic pieces (<2.5 cm) – 659
Construction materials – 484
An infographic detailing the top trash items found and totals. Photo credit: Emily Colson, UF/IFAS NCBS.

Plastic beverage bottles – 393
Plastic packaging – 326
Beverage cans – 286
Glass beverage bottles – 238
Plastic bottle caps – 194
Plastic grocery bags – 185
Fishing nets & pieces – 222

Reflection on Trash Trends

One noticeable trend this year was the presence of construction debris, timber, and building materials, likely remnants from past storms. While this was significant, it still fell behind single-use plastics as the most common items found.

Another positive change: we saw less aquaculture-related marine debris (like cover netting, clam bags, oyster cages, PVC stakes, and zip ties). This reduction may be linked to the earlier spring 2025 cleanup focused on removing aquaculture gear from Cedar Key’s working waterfront and surrounding estuaries.

*UF group pulls in a haul of trash from the canal by Joe Rains beach. Photo credit: Emily Colson, UF/IFAS NCBS.*

These results highlight the importance of conducting regular cleanups before and after hurricane season to keep dangerous debris out of our waters and to track ongoing trends in marine litter.

A Community Effort

This event would not have been possible without the dedication of both volunteers and partners. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who pitched in, whether on foot or by boat, to recover trash from the marshes, mangroves, and waterways.

Special thanks to our local sponsors, as well as:

City of Cedar Key staff
Cedar Key School
Cedar Key Woman’s Club
Cedar Key Aquaculture Association
Levy County Prevention Coalition – SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)
Santa Fe College Conservation and Sustainability Club
UF groups including UF IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, UF IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension, UF Marine Biology Club, University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue, UF College of Design, Construction and Planning, Bob Graham Center for Public Service Gulf Scholars program, and GatorCorps

*Local watermen using a clam boat to bring in large debris from surrounding islands. Photo credit: Emily Colson, UF/IFAS NCBS.*

We are especially grateful to the local residents and community members who used their boats to help reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible, ensuring even hard-to-reach debris was removed.

Cedar Key’s 19 years of participation in this international effort show how much can be accomplished when communities work together. Thank you for being part of the solution, your efforts make a lasting impact on our coasts and oceans!

Featured image credit: UF/IFAS Photo by Emily Colson