KUALA LUMPUR, 19 NOVEMBER 2025 – A total of 28,573 kg of trash was collected by 8,347 volunteers along Malaysia’s coastlines for the International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICC). Coordinated by Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), ICC activities take place year-round, with a major focus from August to October.
Among the trash collected, 97% of items collected were made from non-biodegradable materials. The most common items collected were plastic bottles (74,639 pieces), cigarette butts (63,695 pieces), and plastic grocery bags (49,441 pieces).
MST Golf cleaned Morib Baharu beach facilitated by RCM ambassador, Sharifah Sofia
“This year’s findings reflect both persistent challenges and encouraging progress. Plastic beverage bottles, cigarette butts, and plastic bags remain among the top items collected, echoing global trends,” commented Theresa Ng, Chief Operating Officer of Reef Check Malaysia. The 2025 ICC Report can be found on RCM’s website.
“Yet, there is also evidence of increasing awareness and action — more local communities, schools and youth groups are leading initiatives. These are the signs of a growing, data-driven movement rooted in collective action,” added Ng.
Y.A.M Tengku Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the princess of Selangor and a well-known environmental advocate and social activist, is also fondly known as ‘Princess Beach Cleanup’. A strong supporter of ICC, Her Royal Highness said, “Talking about doing the right thing for our environment is easy, but taking action is what truly matters. This marks my ninth year participating in the International Coastal Cleanup, and I want to thank all the volunteers for proving that actions speak louder than words.”
Y.A.M Tengku Zatashah has been doing beach cleanups for nine years.
Among the supporters of ICC Malaysia this year are Proton, MST Golf Group, and Royal Bank of Canada. Both choosing to clean Morib Baharu beach, Proton’s volunteers collected 468.27 kg of waste while MST Golf’s team cleared 180kg of trash. The team from Royal Bank of Canada, on the other hand, cleaned Bagan Lalang beach and removed 172.9 kg of trash.
Reef Check Malaysia also held their annual ‘Kod Blue: Laut Needs You’ event as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) at Kampung Juara, Tioman Island. The event was supported by Migalabs, Reef Malaysia and Hydro Flask Malaysia.
Volunteers collected 434.5 kg of trash from two beach cleanup locations and removed 198 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTs) during the underwater cleanup.
Jason Foo, Kod Blue 2025’s volunteer, and his family who were on holiday in Tioman island, joined the beach cleanup. “We heard there was a cleanup, and we’re so glad we joined,” said Foo.
“My family and I love nature, and we were shocked at the amount of rubbish we picked up,” he added. “I learned how rubbish travels across countries — it’s not just a local problem; it’s a global issue.”
The annual Kod Blue event was held in Kampung Juara, Tioman Island this year
“Cleanups are just the beginning — a powerful way to spark conversations about waste, consumption, and sustainability. Moving forward, Reef Check Malaysia will continue working with communities, partners, and policymakers to tackle marine debris at its source,” concluded Ng.
Reef Check Malaysia has coordinated the International Coastal Cleanup in Malaysia since 2008, engaging thousands of volunteers each year to protect the nation’s coastlines.
For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.
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