Clean 1million Pounds of Disaster Debris in Hawaii

Dear Ocean Blue Project Supporters,

As we reflect on the progress made in the third quarter of 2025, Ocean Blue Project stands as a leader in plastic disaster relief, driven by our unwavering commitment to protecting waterways and the global ocean from plastic pollution. The Plastic Disaster Relief Program, which has thrived thanks to your support, remains Ocean Blue’s top initiative for promoting healthy communities and ecosystems through direct action, education, and collaboration.

Ocean Blue’s overarching goal is to remove 5 million pounds of plastic and debris from beaches, back bays, and oceanbound waterways, with the project you’ve supported focusing on plastic disasterimpacted coastlines in Hawaii. Together, we are not only cleaning up what washes ashore, but also nurturing a new generation of environmental stewards who will protect our blue planet for years to come.

Milestone Impact & Program Achievements Building on the multiyear foundation outlined in Ocean Blue’s 2023–2025 Ocean Blue Multiyear Report, this quarter’s impact from the Plastic Disaster Relief Program has been truly remarkable. Ocean Blue’s team, alongside passionate volunteers and partners, has now removed a lifetime total of 3,293,344 pounds of debris from waterways across the nation. To put this into perspective, that’s the equivalent weight of more than 16 Space Shuttle orbiters, at least 11 blue whales, or approximately 132 school buses.

Notably, since the beginning of 2024, we’ve surpassed our ambitious pledge goals by cleaning up 2,125,717 pounds, exceeding pledged targets by more than 164,000 pounds and delivering an additional $32,830 of value for our ocean, communities, and wildlife. These accomplishments underscore Ocean Blue Project’s growing role in disaster debris relief and our ongoing leadership in the fight against plastic pollution, uniting supporters, communities, and student advocates in our mission to safeguard our blue planet for generations to come.

Tackling the Crisis at Kamilo Beach: Advancing Our 5MillionPound Hawaii Goal As part of our unwavering commitment to fight plastic pollution wherever it strikes hardest, Ocean Blue Project is setting its sights on one of the world’s most pressing plastic disaster zones: Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. This effort aligns directly with our GlobalGiving campaign to remove 5 million pounds of disaster debris in Hawaii and restore the health of these vital shorelines.

Known to locals as “Plastic Beach,” Kamilo Beach is infamous for the astonishing amounts of plastic and marine debris that wash up yearround, choking the sands and threatening a unique ecosystem. Powerful ocean currents and storm events funnel debris from across the Pacific onto this remote coastline, turning it into a hotspot for disaster debris accumulation.

With sufficient funding, Ocean Blue Project is prepared to launch and sustain ongoing cleanup initiatives at Kamilo Beach and other disasterimpacted shorelines in Hawaii. Drawing on lessons learned from our nationwide Plastic Disaster Relief and Create a CleanUp programs, we will bring our nationally tested cleanup methods and passionate volunteer network to one of the planet’s most critical frontlines.

Our proven Plastic Disaster Relief approach focuses on systematic debris removal while fostering community engagement, education, and local stewardship. Each cleanup will:

1. Prioritize heavily impacted, hardtoreach zones where debris accumulates most rapidly.  
2. Engage local community members, schools, and partners in handson recovery efforts. 
3. Provide education about plastic sources, disaster debris pathways, and longterm solutions.
4. Empower youth and emerging leaders to take on cleanup leadership roles.

These sustained efforts can help restore Kamilo’s natural beauty, protect Hawaii’s invaluable coastal ecosystems, and move us steadily toward our 5millionpound disaster debris removal goal.

Supporting the cleanup of Kamilo Beach is not just about maintaining the stunning landscapes that draw visitors from around the world. It’s about safeguarding the home of native Hawaiian wildlife, such as endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and vibrant reef fish, that rely on clean, healthy shorelines for survival. Every piece of plastic removed from Kamilo is a lifeline to local sea creatures and an essential step in preserving Hawaii’s legendary biodiversity for future generations.

Through these efforts, your support turns longterm goals into measurable impact. Each pound of debris removed, each student engaged, and each community cleanup hosted in Hawaii and beyond brings us closer to disasterresilient coastlines and a healthier ocean for all.

We urge our supporters and the broader community to stand with Ocean Blue Project in this vital work. Your contributions to our Hawaii disaster debris efforts directly enable us to expand our reach and respond to crisis zones like Kamilo Beach, where ongoing action is needed most. Together, we can protect Hawaii’s shorelines, marine life, and the natural treasures that connect us all to the ocean.

With gratitude, 

The Ocean Blue Project Team

• Ocean Blue Project Annual Report 2023-25 (PDF)