The Ocean Cleanup and Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation Unite Against Plastic Pollution

January 30, 2024

Ambitious campaign combatting Plastic Pollution

n a landmark move, The Ocean Cleanup has forged its inaugural alliance in India, partnering with the Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation to spearhead an ambitious campaign combatting plastic pollution, beginning with Mumbai. The collaboration stems from the shared goal of ridding the oceans of plastic. Recognizing rivers as primary contributors to oceanic plastic pollution, especially in densely populated coastal cities facing waste management challenges, The Ocean Cleanup emphasizes a dual strategy: cleaning existing plastic in the oceans and halting the continuous river influx. Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation, a non-profit organization co-founded by DialESG and West Coast Marine Yacht Services, has invited The Ocean Cleanup to contribute to scalable plans for combatting plastic pollution in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The partnership solidified through a ten-year Project Facilitation Agreement signed on January 25, 2024, positions The Ocean Cleanup as a critical player in research, facilitation, fundraising, and project execution. Mumbai's Plastic Challenge Mumbai, a bustling metropolis with over 20 million residents, faces a mounting plastic pollution crisis. India, a significant contributor to oceanic plastic emissions, witnesses a concentration of highly polluting rivers in and around Mumbai, as revealed by a peer-reviewed study conducted by The Ocean Cleanup. The partnership endeavors to amalgamate research, technology, execution, and local understanding to deliver scalable solutions to Mumbai's rivers. The collaborative effort commences with The Ocean Cleanup, which offers research assistance to identify waste sources and potential intervention sites across Mumbai. The partnership initiates a comprehensive process involving fundraising, project initiation, and an in-depth study of Mumbai's plastic pollution landscape. Potential deployment of Interceptors, similar to successful endeavors in Kingston, remains a prospect contingent on a thorough understanding of the issue and identification of scalable solutions. Aligned Missions for Maximum Impact The Ocean Cleanup's overarching mission to eliminate oceanic plastic aligns seamlessly with Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation's objective to purify India's rivers, commencing in Mumbai. With data indicating a substantial potential impact in India, this partnership marks a pivotal step for The Ocean Cleanup, leveraging its global expertise to address India's plastic crisis. As The Ocean Cleanup joins forces with Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation, the most extensive cleanup initiative in history unfolds in the world's most populous nation.  CLICK HERE for more inspiring climate news