The city of Seal Beach on Wednesday, May 13, joined The Ocean Cleanup, county of Los Angeles, and city of Long Beach in signing a Memorandum of Understanding to advance a coordinated regional approach to addressing plastic pollution in the waterways of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The briefing highlighted progress on key initiatives along the San Gabriel River and Los Angeles River and outlined a collaborative path toward deployment, partnerships, and long-term environmental impact. The event, held at the Aquarium of the Pacific, brought together federal, state, county, and city leaders alongside environmental advocates, funding partners, and community stakeholders to demonstrate regional momentum and collaboration.
San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation Initiative
The execution of the MOU represents the culmination of years of collaboration among regional stakeholders committed to reducing pollution entering the Pacific Ocean through the San Gabriel River system. Stormwater runoff generated throughout the San Gabriel River Watershed carries debris and pollutants downstream through a regional network of channels and waterways before ultimately discharging into the Pacific Ocean and along the Seal Beach coastline. With growing global concern surrounding ocean pollution, the protection of sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems, and approximately 500 tons of beach trash collected along Seal Beach in 2025 alone, the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation Initiative represents a critical regional effort benefiting the residents of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as the millions of visitors who rely on and enjoy Southern California’s beaches and waterways.
“This is an exciting day not just for the City of Seal Beach but for this entire region,” said Seal Beach Councilmember Joe Kalmick. “I am extremely proud to have helped start this effort and to see just how far we’ve come. While there is more work to be done, today we celebrate a significant milestone in the long-term effort to preserve the San Gabriel River and our coastline as clean, healthy spaces for the ecosystems they sustain and the communities that treasure them.”
Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, said: “As we expand our efforts in Los Angeles, we’re not just stopping plastic in rivers, we’re setting a new standard for urban ocean protection on a city-wide basis. By working with county and city partners, such as Seal Beach, to deploy Interceptors in the LA and San Gabriel Rivers, alongside our ongoing work in Ballona Creek, we’re making real progress toward a cleaner Pacific for residents and visitors. This is what it looks like when county and city leaders choose to focus on ocean health.”
About The
Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit that develops solutions to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. As of March 2026, the non-profit has collected over 50 million kilograms (110.2 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems around the world. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a multi-disciplined team of approximately 200 people. The organization is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with international operations in 10 countries.
For more information about the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation Initiative, visit sgrcleanup.com or contact Iris Lee, director of Seal Beach Public Works, at 562-431-2527 x1322 or ilee@sealbeachca.gov.
