San Diego Bay was cleaner and greener after the 35th Annual Operation Clean Sweep brought together more than 1,000 volunteers on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Hosted by the San Diego Working Waterfront and sponsored by the Port of San Diego, the event mobilized divers, boaters, and shoreline volunteers at multiple cleanup sites including Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, Coronado, the Embarcadero, Harbor Island, Imperial Beach, National City, Seaport Village, and Shelter Island.
The community effort was part of a long-standing tradition aimed at removing trash and debris from both the bay and surrounding waterfront areas. In the days leading up to the main event, the U.S. Coast Guard cadets aboard the sailing ship Eagle—visiting San Diego for the first time in 17 years—participated in a mini Operation Clean Sweep on August 10, clearing litter along the Embarcadero south of B Street Pier.
“The Port of San Diego is proud to support Operation Clean Sweep, and we are grateful to all our partners, sponsors, and volunteers for helping clean up San Diego Bay and the surrounding waterfront,” said Danielle Moore, Chair of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “Events like this bring the community together as environmental champions to care for and protect our bayfront so it can be enjoyed for years to come.”
Cleanup crews were provided with all necessary materials, including bags, gloves, and trash pickers. Many sites welcomed families, and youth and members of the military earned community service hours. Volunteers were treated to a free t-shirt and invited to an after party at Shelter Island Shoreline Park, hosted by the San Diego Working Waterfront. The celebration featured food, live music, a “most unique trash” contest, a soccer game with San Diego FC, and prize drawings for gift cards to local restaurants and hotels. Youth volunteers also received special prizes for their efforts.
“For 35 years, the San Diego Working Waterfront has organized this community event for our five Port cities, and every year, we are grateful to all our waterfront workers and the public who spend a Saturday helping make their neighborhoods look great,” said San Diego Working Waterfront President Sharon Cloward. “The family participation is phenomenal, as are the volunteer divers and boaters who comb under and over the water for trash. We thank the Port of San Diego for decades of support and our working waterfront businesses who contribute every single year.”
Operation Clean Sweep continues to be supported by more than 50 Port tenants and partners annually, with major sponsors including Republic Services, EDCO, Lokket, Bartell Hotels, General Dynamics NASSCO, Austal USA, R.E. Staite, and Continental Maritime of San Diego.
