1,546,281 kg waste
prevented from entering
Kingston Harbour
(March 2022- December 2023)
BEACH
CLEANUPS
34,431 kg removed
with the help of:
1,944 volunteers at
14 cleanups
BARRIER
CLEANUPS
944,030 kg
trapped by:
7 Interceptors at
Mountain View, Shoemaker,
D'Aguilar, Tivoli, Kingston Pen,
Barnes and Rae Town Gullies
+ excavation works for
maintenance.
LEGACY
CLEANUPS
493,803 kg
removed through intensive cleanups of legacy waste, in partnership with fishers from communities near the Harbour.
* Data Updated : February 2024
1 kilogram(kg) = 2.205 pounds (lb)
Kingston Harbour boasts significant ecological, economic and social value. It is connected to the entire city of Kingston by major and minor gullies which traverse the city. These gullies were designed to rapidly remove storm water and prevent flooding, however, they have now become a major source of pollution and degradation of the Harbour.1
1 https://blue.monagis.com/tackling-kingston-harbour-waste-problem-mgi-frontline-science-technology/
The tremendous increase in solid waste pollution of the Kingston Harbour threatens to cause irreversible damage to the biodiversity, commercial activity and aesthetics of the entire Harbour ecosystem. The dominance of plastics and styrofoam in the environment negatively impacts marine animals, their habitats, and even humans.2
Plastics can also weather into microplastic debris - tiny plastic particles which can further threaten the food chain. Studies have shown that the ingestion of microplastics by fish, crustaceans and invertebrates leads to reduced growth, reduced body size, and reduced performance. Globally, microplastics have been identified in a variety of commercial fish, shellfish and in humans.
2 M. Webber, W. Henry, T. Christian. Clean Kingston Harbour: Pipe Dream or Pot of Gold?. GraceKennedy Foundation. 2019.
Join us on our mission to reduce the pollution of Kingston Harbour.
Contact us for more information on how to participate.
Want to become a volunteer?
GraceKennedy Foundation frequently hosts beach cleanup at critical sections of the Kingston Harbour. Follow GraceKennedy Foundation’s Eventbrite page to register and stay informed about the date and location of the next cleanup.
