Recover 5 Million Pounds of Ocean Plastic

All around the United States, Ocean Blue volunteers have been attending and creating their own cleanups since our organization was founded in 2012. As we approach the new year when we will celebrate our 10th Birthday, we are also preparing to launch ocean cleanup machines on Oregon beaches, the same state where our nationwide boots-on-the-sand nonprofit got started. 

Cleaning beaches in Oregon, California, Florida, and so many other beautiful coastal states and beyond clearly reveals to us our global microplastics problem. While cleaning up land-based debris like single-use plastic cups, straws and wrappers is fairly easy to do, picking up microplastics is a challenge.

Plastic pollution starts inland and makes its way to the ocean through waterways. The ocean tides break up the plastic, and it breaks up even more in the sunlight on hot, sandy beaches. Plastic never fully biodegrades. Tides deliver plastic fragments, mircroplastics, and lentil-sized nurdles onto beaches where we are able to use the equipment to sift 4 inches of sand and recover plastics down to 2mm in size for upcycling, and anything to keep plastic out of the ocean and out of the landfill. 

Researchers will also be analyzing the ocean tides, beaches and the plastics recovered to understand what types of plastic are being washed up with the tides, how it's being washed up, and possibly find out where the plastic is coming from before landing on Oregon beaches. 

Ocean Blue is working with Andrews-Cooper, an engineering firm based in Portland and Oregon State University engingeering students to analyze effectiveness and improve the current machine now waiting for calmer seas and dry sand in the summer of 2022. World Ocean Day, June 8th 2022, is Ocean Blue Project's 10th Birthday and we can't wait to celebrate by getting our boots-in-the-sand to see just how much plastic the equipment uncovers. 

We have currently recovered over 235,000 pounds of plastic and debris. During our 1st Annual Save the Waves campaign, we have received pledges and donations of $295,000, which means we will have the funding to support the recovery of at least 295,000 pounds of plastic and debris.

Our goal is to reach 1 million pounds of plastic and debris recovered and we still have 1 week to go for our campaign! Thank you so much for being a vital part of this ocean cleanup effort. We are honored to have you join us for the next 10 years. 

Warm regards, 

Karisa Arterbury

Director of Operations

Ocean Blue Project

karisa@oceanblueproject.org