The Washington Clean Coast Alliance was formed in 2007 to maximize the efforts of several groups that had each been dedicated to removing marine debris from Washington's Pacific Coast for many years.

The Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association has been at it since 1971 with Operation Shore Patrol, an annual summer event that targets Washington's southern beaches. With help from Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Ecology, and The Ocean Conservancy, Operation Shore Patrol has been an annual tradition ever since.

In 2000, Seattle environmental enthusiast Jan Klippert founded the Olympic Coast Cleanup as an Earth Day activity to clean up Washington's northern coast, especially the hard-to-reach wilderness beaches. With the help of Olympic National Park, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Surfrider Foundation, and several tribal groups, the Olympic Coast Cleanup has gradually grown into what is today our signature event, the Washington Coast Cleanup.

In 2001, a group of civic-minded folks came together in the Long Beach Area to combat marine debris on their community beaches by forming the Grass Roots Garbage Gang. With the help of Washington State Parks, the Gang holds three cleanups every year, including January. -Now that's dedication!

Over the years, each of these efforts has involved more and more volunteers and succeeded in removing countless tons of marine debris from our beaches. Here's just one example:

Olympic Coast Cleanup
(Now Washington Coast Cleanup)

YEAR		2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
AREA
Olympic National Park Coast
Makah Reservation
Ocean Shores to Moclips
Westport to Tokeland
Quinault Reservation
Lake Ozette
Hoh Reservation
Straits of Juan de Fuca
Total Volunteers		359	200	243	350	500	647	751	806
Tons of Debris Removed		17	19	20	27	24	37+	20+	23+