Barbados dives into the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign

The Barbados leg of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign featured two amazing clean-ups. It took the campaign sub-nautical for the first time and delivered a picturesque sunrise event.

In Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown, professional scuba divers conducted an underwater clean-up, targeting stubborn plastic waste trapped in seaweed beds. Much of what they recovered was fishermen’s waste, a significant contributor to ocean pollution, accounting for 10% of global marine plastic waste, according to the WWF.

At sunrise the day before, on Long Beach, the Royal Commonwealth Society’s local partner, the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN Barbados), led a land-based clean-up. 46 volunteers removed 211kg of plastic in just four hours, with plastics making up 68% of all waste collected (310kg total). The most common items were 1884 plastic bottle caps, followed by 761 plastic bottles and 685 pieces of plastic packaging.

CYEN Barbados shared that joining with other local organisations was fun and impactful local action, but stressed the bigger issue: "Plastic isn’t just litter—it harms marine life, pollutes our waters, and threatens our future." They also noted plastic pollution's severe long-term damage to ecosystems and food chains.

The Commonwealth Clean Ocean Plastic Campaign is supporting the King’s Baton Relay. The baton itself was painted by Barbados Community College Visual Arts students, with colourful key depictions of the island’s history and heritage. Other events included a presidential road-relay and visits to historic sites like the UNESCO-listed Garrison Savannah and George Washington House.

Find out how to support the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign!