Inspired by a picture book, Max Romey journeyed to a remote Alaskan beach for marine debris, discovering a more complex story. Five years prior, an ocean plastics cleanup on Kayak Island left him overwhelmed. While the issue remains intricate, sharing the "big picture" now helps him envision collaborative solutions.

Learn more through Max's videos: No Lost Shoe, Give A Beach A Bottle, and Trailbound Alaska.

UNEP has partnered with syndicated cartoonist Jim Toomey for a video series addressing ocean litter.

Trash, even from upstream, travels hundreds of miles to remote oceans, causing billions in damage and threatening marine life and human health.

The "Two Minutes on Oceans with Jim Toomey" series uses animation and humor to simplify complex scientific issues for the public. View additional videos at: www.rona.unep.org/toomey

Join a filmmaker and a world record free-diver on an epic global adventure.

They travel the earth, uncovering the shocking impact of plastic pollution on our oceans and marine life.

"Plastic Pollution, Our Oceans, Our Future," a short film by Christopher Hanson (USA), secured 3rd Prize in the 2016 Film4Climate Global Video Competition, presented by Connect4Climate and partners.

This film features 17 Hawaiian students examining plastic pollution's impact on their beaches and envisioning a sustainable future for the oceans, as Hawaii considers banning single-use polystyrene.

For more information, visit the official Film4Climate website, see all winners, or read the World Bank press release.

To date, we have successfully intercepted over 12,000 kg of trash.

We are continuously working on efficiency improvements to enhance these efforts.

The Ocean Cleanup's Research team has reached a significant milestone, releasing 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Science is central to understanding ocean plastic pollution—its scale, sources, and behavior. This research has informed cleanup strategies, from mapping the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to identifying polluting rivers and understanding industrial fishing, helping trace pollution origins and guiding effective interventions.

As global cleanup efforts scale, our focus will shift from diagnosing the problem to measuring and demonstrating our impact. Committed to open science, all publications are publicly accessible on our website. Learn more about this achievement from Head of Research, Laurent Lebreton: https://visit.theoceancleanup.com/4mDjLML

Our work continues in Jamaica.

In Kingston, nine Interceptors prevent trash from flowing into the Caribbean Sea.

On a remote North Pacific atoll, albatross chicks are dying, their bodies filled with plastic.

Chris Jordan's film, "Albatross," unflinchingly portrays this tragedy, while also inspiring a deep appreciation for life on Earth.

Thank you for your engagement.

We are actively working on exciting new developments and look forward to sharing them with you.

Please continue to follow our updates for more information. p>

Ocean cleanup is achievable, and we are steadily progressing towards eliminating plastic pollution.

While not currently in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), our focus is on improving plastic hotspot prediction to enhance cleanup efficiency. This summer, we will return to the GPGP to test our advanced ocean models and drones.

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 significantly expanding our river operations. Concurrently, we are developing advanced drone and AI technologies to identify plastic hotspots within the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Our research continues into the pervasive problem of discarded fishing gear, aiming to pinpoint effective solutions. Furthermore, once our Interceptors are fully operational, we will focus on cleaning up legacy pollution from coastlines. This effort aims to restore these environments to their pristine state and prevent any stranded 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.