Ocean Plastic Pathways

Stopping Plastic Pollution Before It Reaches the Ocean

The Ocean Plastic Pathways (OPP) initiative is helping communities tackle plastic pollution at its source. By revealing how plastic moves to beaches from both land and sea, OPP empowers governments, organizations, and local leaders to make smarter, data-driven decisions that prevent pollution before it reaches coastal environments.

Turn Data into Action

OPP combines cutting-edge technology with local knowledge to identify where plastic enters the environment, map its journey, and reveal the most effective points for intervention. The platform includes:

• An interactive dashboard that visualizes plastic pathways from source to sea.
• A source-identification toolkit that pinpoints where plastic enters rivers, coastlines, and communities.
• Predictive models that forecast how plastic moves based on currents, wind, rainfall, and other environmental conditions.
• A digital solutions library that helps communities prioritize actions, target investments, and implement proven solutions.

Together, these tools enable communities to focus resources where they will have the greatest impact — reducing plastic pollution before it reaches the coastal environment and the ocean.

From Innovation to Impact

Launched in Ecuador and the Galápagos in April 2025 as la Ruta del Plástico al Océano (RuPO), Ocean Plastic Pathways has progressed from development to implementation. The RuPO collaboration has united the technical expertise and local knowledge of Ecuadorian partners and other key collaborators to create an innovative, scalable approach to better understand, prevent, and reduce ocean plastic pollution anywhere in the world.

The RuPO Collaboration

“The Ocean Plastic Pathway initiative is innovative and actionable.” — Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

To learn more, please contact OpenOceans Global at info@openoceans.org

Image credit: Galápagos Conservation Trust