The Ocean Cleanup and City of Santa Marta sign Memorandum of Understanding to tackle plastic pollution

• The Ocean Cleanup has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Santa Marta, Colombia.
• This partnership aims to deploy innovative river plastic interception solutions and strengthen local waste management.
• The collaboration, in a 13th country internationally, is part of The Ocean Cleanup’s ongoing global efforts to stop plastic pollution at its source and protect marine ecosystems.

The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit organization dedicated to ridding the world’s oceans of plastic, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Santa Marta, Colombia.

This partnership marks a significant step in The Ocean Cleanup’s 30 Cities Program, which is working in 30 key cities in Asia and the Americas to stop up to one third of global plastic pollution flowing from rivers into the oceans by the end of the decade.

Through this MoU, The Ocean Cleanup and Santa Marta will collaborate on deploying tailor-made Interceptor solutions to capture plastic waste in the Río Manzanares and Río Gaira before it reaches the Caribbean Sea and an area which is home to vibrant coral reefs and species such as turtles and rays.

The partnership is part of the organization’s scale up in a 13th country globally and will also focus on downstream cleanups and responsible waste management, ensuring collected plastic does not re-enter the environment. By working closely with local stakeholders, the initiative will help protect marine ecosystems and support Santa Marta’s leadership in environmental stewardship.

Ricardo Restrepo, Regional Director Americas, The Ocean Cleanup, said:

“Ocean plastic pollution is a global crisis that demands urgent, collective action. By partnering with Santa Marta, we are taking a concrete step toward stopping plastic at its source and safeguarding Colombia’s marine environment for future generations.

“This collaboration is a testament to what can be achieved when local leadership and global expertise come together. We look forward to working closely with the people of Santa Marta to deploy innovative solutions, share knowledge, and build a cleaner, healthier future for the Caribbean coast. Together, we can make a lasting impact—not just for Santa Marta, but for communities and ecosystems across Colombia and beyond.”

As the regional environmental authority, the Magdalena Regional Autonomous Corporation (CORPAMAG) will play a pivotal role in institutional coordination to facilitate the project’s development, foster the participation of strategic stakeholders, share relevant information, and support processes related to permits, authorizations, and other environmental requirements. Furthermore, coordination with the Green Business Program is envisaged to explore alternatives contributing to the sustainable management of the collected waste.

Alfredo Martínez Gutiérrez, Director General of the Magda lena Regional Autonomous Corporation (CORPAMAG), highlighted the importance of this alliance and of coordinated efforts to tackle a problem that transcends borders.

He said: “This MoU represents an opportunity to pool capabilities, knowledge, and experience around a common goal: preventing plastic waste circulating in our waterways from reaching the sea. At CORPAMAG, we will continue to strengthen our collaboration with the Santa Marta Mayor’s Office, The Ocean Cleanup, and other strategic partners, because protecting our rivers, wetlands, and marine-coastal ecosystems requires joint, sustained action. This alliance will enable us to make progress in identifying innovative solutions and developing alternatives that contribute to more efficient and sustainable waste management in our region.”

As of August 2026, The Ocean Cleanup has removed over 60 million kilograms (132 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems worldwide. With current operations in 13 countries, including several in Latin America, this new agreement with Santa Marta strengthens the region’s commitment to turning the tide against plastic pollution.

About The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit that develops and scales solutions to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. By conducting extensive research, engineering scalable solutions, and partnering with governments, industry, and like-minded organizations, The Ocean Cleanup is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic already polluting the oceans. As of August 2026, the non-profit has collected over 60 million kilograms (132.3 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems around the world. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a multi-disciplined team of approximately 200 people. The organization is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with international operations in 12 countries.