Riverine Plastic Pollution Data Collection & Cleanup Mapping – 30 City Study – Phase 1

TERI Mumbai has been engaged by The Ocean Cleanup Interception B.V. (Netherlands) to support Phase 1 of a landmark 30-city global study on riverine plastic pollution. With major urban centres spanning South-eastern Asia, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and North America, the study aims to generate a globally comparable evidence base on riverine plastic pollution and the effectiveness of existing cleanup interventions.

As part of this initiative, TERI collected and compiled two geo-referenced datasets in standardized geospatial formats: one focused on external information sources related to plastic pollution and riverine conditions, and the other on existing cleanup activities. This project represents a significant expansion of TERI's environmental research portfolio—moving from regional urban assessments to global riverine and marine pollution governance—and contributes meaningfully to The Ocean Cleanup's mission of eliminating plastic from the world's oceans.