Protecting Oceans

Founded in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup strives to rid the world’s oceans of floating pollution through large-scale, energy-efficient, and environmentally sound processes. To achieve this objective, the organization cleans legacy pollution from ocean garbage patches and coastal ecosystems, and stops plastic from flowing from rivers or waterways into open oceans.

Latham began working with The Ocean Cleanup in 2016, as the nonprofit prepared to launch a pilot project from the US West Coast. The project sought to collect ocean pollution into arrays, concentrating the debris for easier removal—essentially “mopping the floor.” Once removed, the waste is taken to a land-based facility for sorting and recycling. Our lawyers helped The Ocean Cleanup, as a foreign entity founded in the Netherlands, navigate the US regulatory regime and consult with relevant federal and state agencies to determine the permissions and permits required to operate its systems in the Pacific Ocean. As a result of Latham’s efforts, The Ocean Cleanup was able to construct and deploy its technology off the coast of Alameda, California.

"Pollution is a planet-sized challenge, and we cannot solve it alone. We are deeply grateful for the support of Latham & Watkins in helping us navigate complex US regulations, enabling the deployment of our cleanup technologies in California."

Letícia Passos, General Counsel and Director of Legal & Public Affairs, The Ocean Cleanup

As The Ocean Cleanup developed new technology, our lawyers continued offering counsel and guidance. In 2018, for example, a cross-office team began advising the nonprofit as it modified and sought regulatory approvals to launch a new mechanism designed to address river pollution, following research indicating that approximately 1,000 rivers contribute roughly 80% of the pollution entering the world’s oceans. To “turn off the tap,” the organization deploys river-cleaning devices known as Interceptors—ranging from advanced technology to simpler solutions — to accommodate varied environmental conditions, recognizing that each river presents unique challenges.

As of December 2025, The Ocean Cleanup had deployed 20 Interceptor solutions in nine countries, preventing more than 27,000 tons of pollution from entering the world’s oceans. Continuing these efforts, they’ve also launched the 30 Cities Program focusing on urban areas with multiple polluted waterways. The program aims to reduce the amount of plastic entering oceans from rivers globally by up to one third and is expected to help local communities reclaim their environments by removing debris from coasts, mangroves, and coral reefs.