Two years in the making, the official results of The Ocean Cleanup’s pilot program in Santa Monica’s Ballona Creek were announced this week. The project, which was run in conjunction with Los Angeles County Public Works, diverted 248,648 pounds of material from entering the Santa Monica Bay. Of the nearly 124 tons of trash captured, 2,738 pounds of it was deemed recyclable (equal to approximately 59,000 water bottles).
“This partnership with L.A. County has been a monumental success and serves as a model for how other government agencies can partner with us to build the solutions needed to keep rivers and oceans clean around the globe,” said Marco Piët, the River Director for The Ocean Cleanup in a press statement.
The Ocean Cleanup’s Interceptor 007, which is solar powered, works by sitting on the surface of the water, catching and collecting waste as it floats down stream towards the ocean. While in service, the L.A. area experienced over 50 inches of rain, proving the technology’s ability to work exceptionally well through stormy conditions.
The Interceptor was launched in Ballona Creek in October 2022, and now, after 24 months, it’s clear that it’s had an important impact in keeping L.A. beaches cleaner. Ballona was originally selected because of just how much pollution was making its way from the inland to the coastal environment, notably around Venice, Playa Del Rey, Santa Monica, Will Rogers, Dockweiler, and El Segundo.
Up next, the Interceptor 007 will be removed from the creek and undergo service and upgrades. Current plans are to have it in place in time for the upcoming storm season in Southern California. And the future looks promising for the innovative solution.
“We look forward to Interceptor 007 returning after receiving its upgrades,” said Gary Jones, director of Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors. “The collection results in a cleaner Marina del Rey harbor and less debris on beaches than we would have otherwise seen, especially during the winter storm season.”
“I look forward to presenting a motion to the Board of Supervisors at the October 8th meeting to officially turn this pilot program into a long-term solution,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
The Ocean Cleanup, a Netherlands-based organization, has other ongoing projects around the world, including other polluting waterways, and most famously, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
As for L.A. beaches, the El Niño conditions of 2023/24 are now in the rearview mirror. La Niña conditions, which are typically colder and dryer, are forecast for the winter ahead. It feels like it’s been flat in Southern California for weeks now, but that’s another problem entirely.
Related: $7.5 Billion. That’s How Much it Would Cost to Clean Up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch