A message from rochelle, Executive director at a greener future:

In just two hours, 29 volunteers removed 7,592 pieces of litter from Woodbine Beach. That is an incredible result, and it builds on last year’s impact of 6,976 pieces collected at this event.

Event Snapshot
Date: August 16, 2026
Location: Woodbine Beach, Toronto
Volunteers engaged: 29
Cleanup length: 120 minutes
Pieces of litter collected: 7,592

What the Data Revealed
The most common items collected were 2,664 cigarette butts, 1,240 food wrappers, 1,167 paper pieces, 969 plastic pieces, and 348 plastic bottle caps.

Smoking-related litter was the biggest category from the cleanup. Cigarette butts, lighters, tobacco packaging, and vape cartridges added up to 2,750 items, making up about 36% of everything collected. These pieces may be small, but together they create a significant pollution problem in public spaces and near waterways.

Food and beverage waste was also a major theme, with wrappers, cans, bottles, caps, cups, lids, straws, and utensils adding up to more than 2,100 pieces. That tells a familiar story we see at busy beaches and parks: everyday items can accumulate quickly when they are left behind outdoors.

Plastic-related litter was another important part of the cleanup. Volunteers removed plastic pieces, plastic bags, bottles, bottle caps, cups, lids, straws, utensils, foam pieces, and other small synthetic materials. These items can persist in the environment, break down into smaller pieces, and become much harder to remove over time.

Sport + Sustainability in Action
This event showed how powerful sport can be as a force for community action. Volleyball brings people together through teamwork, energy, and shared purpose, and this cleanup carried that same spirit onto the shoreline.

Woodbine Beach is a place where people gather to play, compete, relax, and connect with the water. Keeping it clean helps protect the shoreline and supports a better experience for everyone who uses the space.

On average, volunteers removed about 262 pieces of litter each. Across the full event, the group collected more than 63 pieces every minute. That is something everyone involved should feel proud of.