LA Rivers Get Plastic Interceptors Before 2028 Olympics

Los Angeles is getting three river trash collectors that could prevent hundreds of tonnes of plastic from polluting the Pacific Ocean every year, just in time for the 2028 Olympic Games.

The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit dedicated to removing plastic pollution, is expanding its operations across Greater Los Angeles with support from corporate partner Kia Corporation. The new interceptors will be placed in the Los Angeles River and San Gabriel River, joining an existing device already working in Ballona Creek.

Research shows that LA's rivers dump between 380 and 570 tonnes of plastic into the ocean annually. Worldwide, just 1,000 rivers out of three million are responsible for nearly 80 percent of all ocean plastic pollution.

To find the best placement spots, The Ocean Cleanup used drones, AI cameras, and GPS drifters to map exactly where trash flows through the rivers. This smart survey helped them design custom solutions for each waterway.

The first interceptor, called Interceptor 007, has already proven the technology works. Since becoming fully operational in Ballona Creek in 2024, it has stopped nearly 387,000 pounds of trash from reaching the Pacific Ocean and local beaches.

Both the City of Long Beach and City of Seal Beach commissioned independent studies before signing on. These studies confirmed the technology would work in their specific river conditions and assessed permitting requirements.

Kia has partnered with The Ocean Cleanup since 2022, funding solutions that tackle marine plastic pollution at its source. "Our partnership with The Ocean Cleanup is focused on action, proven and scalable solutions that help remove ocean plastic pollution at its source," said Eric Watson, Vice President of Sales Operations at Kia America.

The Ripple Effect

The LA expansion is part of a bigger vision called the 30 Cities Program. This global initiative aims to stop one third of all plastic waste flowing from rivers into oceans by 2030.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn emphasized the regional cooperation required. "These rivers cross city and county lines, and it's never been fair that one city's trash has become another city's problem," she said.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson connected the dots between upstream action and coastal protection. "Protecting Long Beach's coastline starts upstream and this partnership reflects the collaborative action needed to stop plastic pollution before it reaches our beaches and waterways," he explained.

The three interceptor system will create the first coordinated, citywide ocean protection network across all of LA's major waterways. When complete, it will showcase what's possible when cities, counties, nonprofits, and corporations work together on environmental solutions.

Sometimes the cleanup starts before the mess reaches the ocean.