The GraceKennedy Foundation (GKF), in collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup and Clean Harbours Jamaica, through The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project (KHCP), hosted a beach cleanup at Gun Boat Beach in Kingston to mark International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2025. 

Volunteers from schools, community groups, and other KHCP partner organisations joined the cleanup on Saturday, September 20, which removed over 4,500 kilograms of waste from the Kingston Harbour coastline. The effort was also supported by 146 GraceKennedy (GK) team members and their families, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to environmental stewardship. 

Since its launch in 2022, The KHCP has removed over 3 million kilograms of waste from Kingston Harbour via Interceptor™ barrier technology at the mouths of nine gullies emptying into the Harbour, and a series of coastal cleanups. 

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, who attended this year’s event, spoke about the project’s year‑round impact, “The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project has already intercepted waste from nine of (Kingston’s) eleven most polluting gullies. Thanks to their daily work, we are seeing far less waste in Kingston Harbour than before. There’s still a long way to go, but this proves that when Government, the private sector, and NGOs work together, anything is possible.”   

The ICC Day event was also supported by Recycling Partners of Jamaica, who collected all plastic waste removed during the cleanup and engaged volunteers through their educational booth. Volunteers at the cleanup were encouraged to bring plastics from home for recycling, reinforcing the message that environmental stewardship begins with individual responsibility. 

The cleanup also featured interactive competitions to engage volunteers. Teams competed for several awards, including the Heavyweight Champ award for collecting the most waste by weight. There was also a Jingle Competition, during which teams performed original songs incorporating the words, “Kingston Harbour,” “beach cleanup,” and “Sea the Change.” The Earth365 Spirit Award was given to the most enthusiastic GK team; and the Golden Egg Scavenger Hunt, powered by Café Blue, rewarded lucky participants with Café Blue gift vouchers. 

Caroline Mahfood, CEO of GraceKennedy Foundation, explained, “The energy and enthusiasm we saw at today’s cleanup remind us that change is possible when we all play our part. Every item removed from the coastline brings us closer to a cleaner Kingston Harbour and a healthier planet. I am deeply grateful to every volunteer and partner organisation who gave their time and effort to this cause.” GKF has hosted ICC Day activities along the Kingston Harbour coastline since 2015. The Foundation also delivered a range of other impactful environmental sustainability initiatives on behalf of GraceKennedy. Through the KHCP and its other programmes, GKF continues to foster environmental responsibility, strengthen community partnerships, and ensure the protection of Kingston Harbour for generations to come.