Boyan Slat | Media Gallery | The Ocean Cleanup

Boyan Slat is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. Boyan’s journey to solve the ocean plastic pollution problem began when he was on vacation in Greece and saw more plastic bags than fish when diving. He began to research the problem and possible solutions as part of a school project, presenting his ideas at a TEDx Conference in late 2012. In February 2013, the TEDx video suddenly went viral, and the momentum that followed allowed Boyan to officially found The Ocean Cleanup. All content below should be credited to The Ocean Cleanup.

Boyan Slat speaking in San Francisco, Sept. 2024.
Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, on a beach in Honduras. Rio Motagua basin has its estuary close to this beach. The Rio Las Vacas in Guatemala, in which The Ocean Cleanup is trialing an Interceptor Trashfence, is leading into Rio Motagua. The plastic pollution on the beach is estimated to come from this source.
Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, on a beach in Honduras. Rio Motagua basin has its estuary close to this beach. The Rio Las Vacas in Guatemala, in which The Ocean Cleanup is trialing an Interceptor Trashfence, is leading into Rio Motagua. The plastic pollution on the beach is estimated to come from this source.
Boyan Slat standing in front of the 1000 most polluting rivers maps. A model the Research team of The Ocean Cleanup mapped.

Boyan Slat standing by a pile of trash in Guatemala. The Ocean Cleanup has cleanup activities in Guetamala to stop the infamous trash tsunamis leaking out into the Caribbean Sea.
Boyan Slat in Guetamala. The Ocean Cleanup has an Interceptor in Guetamala to stop the tsunami of trash that comes down the Rio Las Vacas and Rio Motagua. Here, they are inspecting the river Rio Motagua from above.
Boyan Slat unveiling the Interceptor, October 26th, 2019
Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, on a beach in Honduras. Rio Motagua basin has its estuary close to this beach. The Rio Las Vacas in Guatemala, in which The Ocean Cleanup is trialing an Interceptor Trashfence, is leading into Rio Motagua. The plastic pollution on the beach is estimated to come from this source.
Boyan Slat looking at pollution in a river in Guatemala
Boyan Slat on board of Interceptor 002 in Klang River, Malaysia
Boyan Slat on board Interceptor 002 in Klang River, Malaysia
Boyan Slat at the Interceptor location in Klang river, Malaysia
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, September 8, 2018 – The Ocean Cleanup Launched System 001 into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch from San Francisco - Photo: Pierre AUGIER for The OCEAN CLEANUP
Boyan Slat at the Interceptor in Klang river, Malaysia
Boyan Slat on top of System 001, September 2018, before its launch into the North Pacific.
Boyan Slat with the Interceptor, October 2019
Boyan Slat at the Interceptor location in Klang river, Malaysia
Boyan Slat in a fireside chat with Hege Marie Norheim at the ONS conference in Norway, August 31, 2016. Photo by Morten Berentsen.
Boyan Slat with Coldplay, who funded Interceptor 005, aka "Neon moon", in the Klang river, Malaysia.
Boyan Slat and an Interceptor being assembled
Boyan Slat standing in front of the Interceptor Trashfence in Guatemala after its failure.
Inside view of an Interceptor, with Boyan Slat
Boyan Slat standing in front of the Interceptor Trashfence in Guatemala after its failure.
Boyan Slat in front of the vessel ready go out with System 03 for the first time (August 2023).

Boyan Slat
Founder and CEO

Images (25)