The Ocean Cleanup, Dominican Republic Government announce replacement of Ozama river barrier 

Santo Domingo, 13 August 2026

• Interceptor™ 004 to be replaced as a split, 400-meter barrier in early 2027, will increase catch capacity to include invasive water hyacinth
• Replacement complements new environmental policy initiatives by the Government of the Dominican Republic

The Ocean Cleanup and the Government of the Dominican Republic have announced the upcoming replacement of Interceptor 004 in the Ozama river. Originally deployed in 2020 as an Interceptor Original, Interceptor 004 has successfully stopped over 300 tonnes of waste from entering the Caribbean Sea.

Thanks to a series of developments, including new environmental initiatives being implemented by the Government of the Dominican Republic, the role of 004 was reassessed to ensure it continues to fit within local contexts and infrastructure.

004 was one of the first Interceptor Originals deployed, and the lessons learned from operating it have been invaluable and helped shape improvements to The Ocean Cleanup’s global strategies and technologies – including the upcoming redeployment of 004 as a significantly larger, stronger, and purpose-built solution for the realities of the Ozama.

Set to be deployed in early 2027, the new-look Interceptor 004 will be a 400 meter-long barrier, the largest ever installed by The Ocean Cleanup. The barrier will be split into two overlapping sections spanning the entirety of the river while still providing an opening for marine traffic to navigate.

It is designed to deal with the seasonal blooms of invasive water hyacinth which overwhelm the river every year. Outside of the impact these have on local biodiversity – depleting oxygen from the river, creating nutrient imbalances, killing fish, and outcompeting native plants – interlocked mats of water hyacinth can make rivers difficult to navigate for fishermen, entangle machinery and have caused issues with the Ozama’s floating bridge, a key transport link into the capital. This was a key learning from the operation of the Interceptor Original, whose catch capacity and efficiency was disrupted by the size and volume of these blooms.

“The Dominican Republic was one of the first places in the world to host a brand-new plastic interception technology. Like many engineering innovations, the first generation revealed both its strengths and its limitations, and we are grateful for the Government of Dominican Republic and the Rescate Ozama Platform for their continued trust and collaboration as we continue to tackle the plastic pollution problem. We have learned from the challenges that the Interceptor Original faced, and this new barrier – our biggest ever – represents our commitment to long-term impact.” expressed Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, The Ocean Cleanup.

“This redeployment marks a new chapter in our commitment to the recovery and protection of the Ozama River. We have learned from the experience with Interceptor 004, and today we have a more robust solution, adapted to the characteristics of our river and capable of responding to challenges such as water hyacinth blooms. The Dominican Government will continue to promote partnerships and environmental policies that help protect our natural resources and build a more sustainable country for present and future generations,” stated José Ignacio Paliza, Minister of the Presidency.

“The recovery of our rivers requires institutions that are capable of learning, innovating, and acting on the basis of evidence. This new infrastructure is the result of that continuous improvement process and of the joint efforts between the Dominican Government and our international partners. Every lesson learned enables us to develop more effective solutions to prevent pollution at its source, strengthen the protection of our ecosystems, and continue advancing toward an increasingly sustainable development model,” said Paíno Henríquez, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic.

The original deployment was undertaken through the Rescate Ozama Platform, a collaboration between the Dominican Government, The Ocean Cleanup, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, ECORED and the United Nations Development Programme,

This redeployment of 004 in the Ozama will be the first step of a scale up of The Ocean Cleanup’s activity in the Dominican Republic as part of its 30 Cities Program, which aims to stop 1/3 of global plastic emissions from rivers into the ocean before the end of the decade by targeting some of the world’s most polluting urban centers in Asia and the Americas.

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 July 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 11 countries.

About the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) is the Dominican Republic’s government institution responsible for formulating, leading, implementing, and overseeing public policies aimed at environmental protection, the conservation of natural resources, and the promotion of sustainable development. Established under the General Environmental and Natural Resources Law No. 64-00, the Ministry serves as the national environmental authority, leading the National Environmental Management System and working to ensure a balance between economic development, social well-being, and the preservation of the country’s natural heritage.

As the national environmental authority, the Ministry advances initiatives to conserve biodiversity, promote the sustainable management of water and forest resources, administer the National System of Protected Areas, prevent and control pollution, support climate change mitigation and adaptation, foster environmental education, and strengthen environmental governance. Through these efforts, the Ministry helps protect ecosystems, improve people’s quality of life, and promote a resilient and sustainable development model for the Dominican Republic.

About the Ministry of the Presidency

The Ministry of the Presidency plays a strategic role in coordinating and facilitating the Government’s management, supporting the President of the Republic in the implementation of his government program and priority public policies. Its functions include following up on presidential directives, coordinating actions among public institutions, and serving as the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

It also promotes a transparent, effective, efficient, and modern Public Administration through the monitoring and evaluation of government policies, plans, and programs, as well as the coordination of accountability processes. Its work helps ensure that the Government’s priorities are translated into coordinated actions and concrete results for citizens.