We've reached a significant milestone, removing over 50,000,000 kg of trash from rivers and oceans globally.

Our Field Ocean Scientist, Peter Puskic, will help visualize the immense scale of this accomplishment.

Interceptor 006 has achieved its first significant "catch" of the year. This successful operation took place in Rio las Vacas, Guatemala 🇬🇹, marking an important milestone for the unit.

This initial interception highlights ongoing efforts to combat illicit activities or environmental threats within the region. Further details are expected soon.

In 2026, we are scaling up river operations by launching our 30 Cities Program. This initiative aims to prevent up to one-third of river plastic from reaching the ocean.

To address the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, we are deploying more Interceptors and advancing AI, drone tests, and computational modeling. These efforts will efficiently locate and map plastic hotspots, optimizing our ocean cleanup operations. Stay tuned for further updates.

This year, we are expanding our river operations. Concurrently, we are developing drone and AI technologies to identify plastic hotspots in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Our research continues into discarded fishing gear to find effective solutions. Once our Interceptors are operational, we will clean up legacy pollution from coastlines, restoring these environments and preventing plastic from re-entering the ocean.

The Audacious Project has awarded The Ocean Cleanup a $121 million donation. This significant funding will accelerate the organization's scale-up efforts, enabling it to tackle up to a third of all plastic flowing from rivers into the ocean.

This initiative aims to deliver a crucial success story for global environmental efforts. Watch the full video detailing this project here.

The Audacious Project, a collaborative funding initiative by TED, has awarded The Ocean Cleanup $121 million. This significant donation will kickstart the scale-up of our Interceptor technology through the 30 Cities Program. Our goal is to stop one-third of global plastic emissions from rivers into the ocean by the end of the decade, targeting highly polluting urban centers across Asia and the Americas.

This crucial funding provides a strong foundation for the program, enabling the planned deployment of Interceptor solutions this year in cities such as Barranquilla, Colombia; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Mumbai, India; Jakarta, Indonesia; and the Manila Bay Region, Philippines, among others.

Stay updated by subscribing to our [YouTube channel](https://bit.ly/371k8sN). Learn more and support our mission at [The Ocean Cleanup](https://www.theoceancleanup.com/). Follow us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheOceanCleanup), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/theoceancleanup/), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@theoceancleanup), and [X](https://x.com/TheOceanCleanup).

The Audacious Project, part of the TED Group, is now backing the 30 Cities Program, significantly accelerating our scale-up. This crucial donation enables the deployment of our Interceptor solutions this year in nine cities globally, including Barranquilla, Santo Domingo, Mumbai, Jakarta, and the Manila Bay region.

This funding provides a strong foundation for our mission. While we continue to rely on the support of followers, strategic partners, and major institutions, this represents a vital step forward in our expansion.

Learn more about this milestone here: https://bit.ly/4bdYnZ0

Many wonder if plastic-eating bacteria can solve ocean pollution. Our research confirms the existence of plastic-degrading fungi.

However, these fungi cannot resolve the ocean plastic crisis. Watch the full video to understand why.

It's easy to miss important announcements amidst daily activities. We've compiled a comprehensive overview of all key updates released since the start of the year.

This summary ensures you are fully informed on our latest progress and any significant developments.

We encourage you to review these updates to stay current with our initiatives.

The Cisadane River in Jakarta is vital for many residents, supporting daily life, livelihoods, and industries like catfish farming, which relies on riverbed silkworms. However, severe plastic pollution has devastated silkworm populations, forcing farmers to undertake costly, 90-minute boat trips. The polluted water also causes skin rashes for those using the river.

The deployment of Interceptor 020 has brought significant improvements. The river now boasts cleaner water, leading to the return of silkworms and shorter, more economical trips for farmers. This intervention has fostered healthier communities and restored a crucial ecosystem.

Effective solutions stem from a thorough understanding of the problem. Before deploying Interceptors, we conduct our Smart River Survey. This process gathers and compiles data from multiple sources to deeply understand a river's plastic pollution.

This comprehensive data enables us to tailor our technology to best fit each river's unique conditions. Learn more about our Smart River Survey in our latest video: https://youtu.be/NdauXcL3JMo?si=J7sdeTlsoxneGqry.

Our Interceptor technology aims to prevent an estimated 5 million kilograms of plastic waste annually from entering the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

We will begin by tackling the waterways of Trombay and Malad in Mumbai. Stay tuned for further updates on our progress.

We have deployed 21 Interceptors across 11 cities in 10 countries.

This year, we anticipate a significant scale-up with many new deployments planned.

Behind every Interceptor deployment are months of research and collaboration with local authorities and communities. This extensive work focuses on understanding river pollution and maximizing our impact.

To standardize this process, we developed the Smart River Survey. This tool maps river pollution and allows us to tailor effective solutions for each city.

Learn more about the Smart River Survey in our latest video.

Before deploying Interceptors, The Ocean Cleanup's researchers utilize the Smart River Survey to understand river pollution. This advanced tool integrates drones, AI, GPS drifters, and local insights, gathering vital data to effectively tackle plastic pollution.

Stay updated by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Learn more and support our mission at The Ocean Cleanup. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

Interceptor 016 has achieved its first successful operation of the year. This significant catch occurred in Balmagie Gully, Jamaica.

This initial success marks an important milestone, setting a positive precedent for ongoing efforts in the region.

Rivers are major conduits for waste flowing from land to the ocean. Our 30 Cities Program aims to combat this by strategically scaling Interceptor technology in the most polluted waterways.

First deployments of this program are expected in the coming months. This initiative focuses on expanding our Interceptor technology to critical locations.

Follow our progress as we announce new deployments soon.

Thank you for your interest in helping us achieve clean oceans. We've launched a new volunteer database to connect passionate individuals with hands-on opportunities in countries where support is most needed.

By signing up, you enable our local partners to reach out for on-ground assistance with vital activities. These include coastal and mangrove cleanups, awareness campaigns, citizen science projects, and other crucial initiatives.

Learn more and register to volunteer here: https://bit.ly/4qOwQEs

The new year has begun with important work. Interceptor 022 in Rio Abajo, Panama, recently received a significant upgrade.

It now features two new barriers, designed to boost its efficiency and prevent even more trash from reaching the ocean.