South Africa’s flagship clean-up initiative, Coast 2 Coast, is stepping into a new chapter this year, broadening its footprint beyond beaches to include inland waterways and communities across the country, Cape {town}Etc reports.

The 2026 edition of the campaign officially got under way earlier today, backed by a new national partnership with plastic packaging industry body Polyco.

The collaboration signals a significant expansion for the environmental drive, which has become one of the country’s most visible community-led responses to litter and marine pollution.

Polyco has committed R150 000 to support a year-long programme of clean-ups, public awareness initiatives and responsible waste management efforts across both coastal and inland municipalities.

Since its launch in 2023, Coast 2 Coast has steadily grown in scale and impact, as organisers estimate that more than 16 tonnes of litter have been removed from South Africa’s shoreline so far, with 114 beaches cleaned nationwide.

Each year has seen participation and clean-up volumes increase, reflecting rising public concern about waste entering oceans and rivers.

Now entering its fourth year, the campaign is marking a milestone by extending its reach beyond the coast. For the first time, inland regions, including parts of Gauteng, form part of the clean-up route, bringing rivers and urban communities into focus alongside traditional seaside sites.

Six focused regional trips planned throughout the year will serve as the new framework for delivering this expanded scope.

The approach is designed to align activities more closely with local weather conditions while allowing for deeper engagement with communities in each region.

The 2026 clean-up itinerary begins in the Overberg from 3 to 8 February, covering locations such as Rooi-Els, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Hermanus and Gansbaai, before moving eastwards to areas including Struisbaai, Onrus and Mossel Bay.

From there, teams head to the West Coast between 20 and 26 March, taking in towns and beaches from Grotto Bay and Yzerfontein through to Port Nolloth.

Later in the year, the campaign shifts inland to Johannesburg from 29 May to 4 June, focusing on rivers and surrounding communities in Soweto, Alexandra, Diepsloot and along the Jukskei.

KwaZulu-Natal follows in July, with clean-ups planned across coastal hubs such as Umhlanga, Amanzimtoti, Port Shepstone and Margate.

Cape Town features on the calendar from 19 to 27 September, before the campaign wraps up in the Eastern Cape in October, covering areas from George and Knysna to Gqeberha and East London.

Beyond financial backing, Polyco will play a hands-on role in supporting the clean-up efforts by facilitating waste collection and recycling through its network of project partners, ensuring that collected material is responsibly processed rather than diverted to landfill.

‘Polyco is proud to support the Coast 2 Coast campaign, which brings communities together to take meaningful action in protecting South Africa’s coastlines and marine life from waste entering the ocean each year,’ Chantal Philander highlighted, who is the Marketing Manager at Polyco.

She added that partnerships of this nature are critical in driving awareness, collaboration and long-term change within the country’s recycling and waste management landscape.

Save a Fishie, the environmental NGO behind the campaign, welcomed the continued support as the initiative grows in reach and ambition.

Zoë Prinsloo of Save a Fishie described the fourth year of Coast 2 Coast as both a privilege and a responsibility.

‘It is an honour to be able to do C2C for the fourth year in a row, growing each year and seeing greater impact and awareness every time,’ she said, thanking Polyco for backing the campaign’s vision of cleaner oceans and healthier ecosystems.

Polyco, a Producer Responsibility Organisation operating under South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, focuses on expanding plastic packaging collection and recycling.

Through initiatives like Coast 2 Coast, it aims to turn waste into an economic resource while supporting education and infrastructure that strengthen the country’s recycling economy.