This brings the organisation’s total plastic cleanup to 45 million kilograms since operations began in 2013. The plastic was collected through river interception systems, and the organisation describes the 2025 results as a milestone toward long-term ocean restoration goals.

Rivers are identified as a major source of ocean plastic, with interception aimed at stopping waste before it reaches the sea. The organisation said scaling up river projects was key to the record removal figure. The Ocean Cleanup operates globally but is headquartered in the Netherlands.