Students, families, and environmental groups pulled more than 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds) of waste from the beaches of Playas de Tijuana on Sunday, May 31, in a coordinated cleanup organized by three civil associations and the Baja California state government.
The groups Kilómetro Uno, Proyecto Fronterizo, and Costa Salvaje partnered with the BC Secretariat of Environment (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente) to stage the event. Volunteers collected 1,014 kilograms of debris, with microplastics, cigarette butts, food containers, and plastic wrappers making up the bulk of the haul.
University Students Join Local Families on the Sand
Participants included students from UABC (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California), Universidad Humanitas, and Preparatoria Lázaro Cárdenas, along with local families. The cleanup stretched across the Playas de Tijuana coastline, the beachfront neighborhood located about 15 minutes west of downtown Tijuana near the U.S. border fence.
The event falls under the state’s “Voces por la Sustentabilidad” (Voices for Sustainability) program, which launched this month. The program has already staged cleanups at beaches in Playas de Rosarito and Ensenada. A third cleanup is planned near the San Miguel creek outlet in Ensenada.
Plastic Pollution and Sewage Remain Persistent Problems
Tijuana’s coastline has long struggled with pollution from both solid waste and untreated sewage. Street litter regularly clogs storm drains, worsening flooding during rain events and washing debris into the ocean. Organizers called on residents to stop discarding trash in streets and public spaces.
The cross-border pollution problem extends north as well. A floating trash boom installed in the Tijuana River on the U.S. side has intercepted over 250 tons of debris to date, according to the Rural Community Assistance Corporation. During a major storm in March 2025, that boom captured waste as river flow surged to nearly 13,000 cubic feet per second. The debris flowing downstream from Tijuana has triggered repeated beach closures in Imperial Beach, California.
On the Mexican side, community-led efforts like Sunday’s cleanup represent a growing push to address the problem at its source. The “Voces por la Sustentabilidad” program is one of the first statewide initiatives to coordinate environmental groups with government agencies for regular coastal cleanups across Baja California’s three major beach cities.
This story was first reported by La Jornada BC.