Working together to reduce the pollution of Kingston Harbour. 

2,115,006 kg waste
prevented from entering
Kingston Harbour
(March 2022- April 2024)

BEACH
CLEANUPS

54,157 kg
removed
with the help of:


   3,062 volunteers at
21 cleanups
across Kingston Harbour
 


BARRIER
CLEANUPS

1,567,046 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 : August 2024
1 kilogram(kg) = 2.205 pounds (lb)

THE KINGSTON HARBOUR & ITS DRAINAGE NETWORK

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

Learn More ABout the Harbour
Major gullies and areas they drain (feeder areas). Source: Mona Geoinformatics Institute

1 https://blue.monagis.com/tackling-kingston-harbour-waste-problem-mgi-frontline-science-technology/

THE PLASTIC POLLUTION PROBLEM

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.

Learn More about the Project
A vast expanse of solid waste lines the shoreline near the Kingston Pen Gully. Photo: Khristina Godfrey, GraceKennedy Foundation, taken June 18, 2022.

2 M. Webber, W. Henry, T. Christian. Clean Kingston Harbour: Pipe Dream or Pot of Gold?. GraceKennedy Foundation. 2019.

Support Our Mission

Join us on our mission to reduce the pollution of Kingston Harbour.
Contact us for more information on how to participate.

Contact Us
VOLUNTEER

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.

Become a Volunteer