A coastal association, since 2015

Clean coasts, one Saturday at a time

We are 2,400 neighbours who pick up what the sea brings in. Join a clean-up, or help us keep the bags, the gloves and the boats coming.

DonateJoin a clean-up

92% of every krona goes to the clean-ups.

Illustration of three volunteers on a beach beside the sea

Our mission

Because the sea gives back what we throw in

Nobody can clean the whole coast. Everyone can clean one stretch for one morning.

Siri Dahl, founder

Havsbandet began with eleven neighbours and a handful of bags on a Saturday in 2015. The beach was cleaner by lunch, and a good deal friendlier.

Today we run clean-ups every weekend from April to October, on twenty-two stretches of the west coast, and we sort and record everything we collect so that the data can be used.

We are an independent association. We take no money from the industries whose waste we pick up, and every member has a vote at the annual meeting.

You do not need experience, a boat or a free weekend. You need a pair of boots and an hour.

Impact

Eleven years of Saturdays

Counted, sorted and reported, every clean-up since 2015.

148 tof waste taken off the coastPlastic, rope, glass and fishing gear, weighed and recorded.

members
2,400
stretches of coast
22
volunteer days
3,900
schools visited
61

One clean-up

Askim, last April

Forty people, three hours, a beach you can walk barefoot on

Illustration of volunteers with sacks on a beach

Before

A winter of rope and plastic

Storms had piled rope, fish boxes and bottles along 800 metres of shoreline. Walkers had stopped using the path.

During

Forty neighbours, one plan

We split the beach into sections, handed out gloves and scales, and sorted as we went. A local bakery fed everyone afterwards.

After

1.2 tonnes, and the data

We removed 1.2 tonnes and reported the sorted totals to the municipality, which has since added two bins and a monthly pick-up.

Read more stories

Where the money goes

Your krona, in four parts

From last year's audited report.

  • Clean-ups: gloves, bags, scales and boats62%

    Everything needed for a Saturday.

  • Education: school visits and materials18%

    61 schools last year.

  • Research and reporting12%

    Sorted data, shared openly.

  • Running the association8%

    One part-time coordinator and the accountant.

Events

Come along

Every clean-up is free and open. Children welcome.

All events

The people

Run by members, helped by two employees

The board is elected each year at the annual meeting.

Board

  • Siri Dahl

    Chair and founder

  • Anders Holm

    Treasurer

  • Mina Aydin

    Secretary

Coordinators

  • Karl Ek

    Clean-up coordinator

  • Frida Berg

    Schools and volunteers

Local leaders

  • Per Nord

    Askim

  • Lisa Strand

    Käringön

  • Omar Haddad

    Särö

Become a local leader

Volunteer

Hear about the next clean-up first

One short email a week in season, with where we meet and what to bring.

  • Come once or every week, no commitment
  • Gloves, bags and coffee provided
  • Families and groups welcome

Join the volunteer list

We only use your address for clean-up notices.