The Ocean Cleanup expands LA project: New agreements aim to stop hundreds of tons of plastic from Pacific

• Los Angeles is part of The Ocean Cleanup’s 30 Cities Program, targeting a one-third reduction in global river-based plastic emissions
• Agreements signed with county and city leaders to intercept plastic in Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers
• The initiative targets 410 and 628 tons of plastic entering the Pacific Ocean annually, threatening coastal ecosystems and biodiversity.

Los Angeles, 13 May 2026

The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit organisation dedicated to ridding the world’s oceans of plastic pollution, has announced plans to expand operations in Greater Los Angeles to intercept plastic waste flowing from rivers into the Pacific Ocean.

The project, expected for completion ahead of the LA28 Olympic Games, has received backing from county officials with agreements having been signed with city leaders.

Working with LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn and representatives from Seal Beach and Long Beach, deployments of innovative Interceptor™ barriers in the San Gabriel and LA Rivers, will address the seasonal flow of trash into the ocean.

Millions of people enjoy the region’s coastline and Long Beach is set to host a number of events during the LA28 Olympic Games, including sailing and rowing.

The Ocean Cleanup carried out a scientific and data driven ‘Smart Rivers Survey’, using a range of technologies including drones, AI-enhanced remote-sensing cameras and GPS drifters, to build a comprehensive overview of river pollution within the city to enable a tailor-made solution.

The research found that annual plastic emissions from LA’s rivers to be between 410 tons (820,000 lbs) and 628 tons (1.384,503 lbs). The new Interceptor barriers in the LA and San Gabriel Rivers will complement Interceptor 007 in Ballona Creek to address that figure across three of the region’s major waterways.

Boyan Slat, Founder & CEO, The Ocean Cleanup, said: “As we expand our efforts in Los Angeles, we’re not just stopping plastic in rivers, we’re setting a new standard for urban ocean protection on a city-wide basis. By working with county and city partners to deploy Interceptors in the LA and San Gabriel Rivers, alongside our ongoing work in Ballona Creek, we’re making real progress toward a cleaner Pacific for residents, visitors and the LA28 Olympic Games. This is what it looks like when county and city leaders choose to focus on ocean health.”

“The buildup of plastics in our oceans is one of the great environmental challenges of our time,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I am proud of the work I did with The Ocean Cleanup to install the trash Interceptor in Ballona Creek and it is time we take on the LA River and San Gabriel River. These rivers cross city and county lines and it’s never been fair that one city’s trash has become another city’s problem — we are committed to working together to get this done and make our ocean and our beaches cleaner for all of us.”

Both deployments are supported by independent feasibility studies commissioned by the City of Long Beach and the City of Seal Beach, respectively, which assessed hydraulics, trash volumes, technology options, and permitting pathways. Last year alone, approximately 500 tons of trash were collected from Seal Beach

These will complement Interceptor 007 located in Ballona Creek, initiated by Supervisor Hahn, which currently stops trash flowing into Santa Monica Bay. The Ballona Creek partnership, now in its permanent operating phase following unanimous approval by the LA County Board of Supervisors in 2024, demonstrates its impact; it has prevented over 193.5 tons (386,945 pounds) of trash from reaching the Pacific Ocean and local beaches from its deployment in October 2022.

The deployments form part of the organization’s 30 Cities Program, which aims to stop up to one-third of all plastic emissions flowing from rivers into the world’s oceans by the end of the decade. Research by The Ocean Cleanup has shown that just 1,000 of the world’s three million rivers are responsible for nearly 80% of plastic emissions into the ocean.

The initiative is also being supported by The Ocean Cleanup partner Primo Brands alongside Global Mission Partner Kia.

California State Assemblymember Diane Dixon said:

“When I saw how much trash was piling up on the beaches in my district after a heavy rainstorm, I knew I needed to bring a trash collection device to this river. There was no government mandate to clean up the rivers. This is about people working together who care about the environment and coastline. I’m grateful that so many other elected officials and government agencies have stuck by my side all these years. I also want to thank The Ocean Cleanup for their efforts on this essential project. Together we can accomplish great things!”

Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, said: “Protecting Long Beach’s coastline starts upstream and this partnership with The Ocean Cleanup and Los Angeles County reflects the collaborative action needed to stop plastic pollution before it reaches our beaches and waterways. By combining local leadership, community commitment and innovative technology, we are creating cleaner, healthier spaces for residents and future generations while strengthening the environmental resilience of our coastal communities.”

Joe Kalmick, City of Seal Beach Councilmember, said: “This is an exciting day not just for the City of Seal Beach but for this entire region. I am extremely proud to have helped start this effort and to see just how far we’ve come. While there is more work to be done, today we celebrate a significant milestone in the long-term effort to preserve the San Gabriel River and our coastline as clean, healthy spaces for the ecosystems they sustain and the communities that treasure them.”

“Kia believes the future of mobility comes with a responsibility to the communities we serve,” said Eric Watson, Vice President, Sales Operations, Kia America. “Our partnership with The Ocean Cleanup is focused on action – proven and scalable solutions that help remove ocean plastic pollution at its source. This work is about turning intention into impact and are proud to help expand these efforts across Southern California.”

Charles Fogg, Chief Sustainability Officer, Primo Brands, said: “At Primo Brands, we are proud to support innovative, scalable solutions that help steward the full lifecycle of packaging and keep materials in circulation for repeated use. Our partnership with The Ocean Cleanup and this important expansion in Los Angeles reflect our shared commitment to protecting waterways, preserving ocean ecosystems, and advancing a more sustainable future. We are energized by the progress this project represents and the meaningful impact it will have for communities and coastlines alike.”

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 technological 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 April 2026, the non-profit has collected over 52 million kilograms (114.6 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 10 countries.

About Primo Brands

Primo Brands is a leading North American branded beverage company focused on healthy hydration, delivering responsibly sourced diversified offerings across products, formats, channels, price points, and consumer occasions, distributed in every U.S. state and Canada.

Primo Brands has a comprehensive portfolio of highly recognizable and conveniently packaged branded water and beverages that reach consumers whenever, wherever, and however they hydrate through distribution across retail outlets, away from home such as hotels and hospitals, and food service accounts, as well as direct delivery to homes and businesses. These brands include established “billion-dollar brands” Poland Spring® and Pure Life®, premium brands like Saratoga® and Mountain Valley®, regional leaders such as Arrowhead®, Deer Park®, Ice Mountain®, Ozarka®, and Zephyrhills®, purified brands including Primo Water® and Sparkletts®, and flavored and enhanced brands like Splash Refresher™ and AC+ION®. Primo Brands also has an industry-leading line-up of innovative water dispensers, which create consumer connectivity through recurring water purchases.

Primo Brands employs more than 12,000 associates with dual headquarters in Tampa, Florida, and Stamford, Connecticut.

About Kia

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2025. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and WNBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several SUVs proudly assembled in America*.

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* Select trims of the all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.