Home | River Cleanup

Our mission

River Cleanup is a global network organization

stopping plastic from reaching our oceans

by cleaning rivers, changing behavior,

and transforming organizations.

Our impact

3886

events
200876

warriors
3063107

kg recovered

Our approach

Clean

First objective is to clean up and make people aware of the problem by showing them trash can be found in and around the river where they grew up, live or work. In addition, we deploy smart technologies in rivers to continuously collect trash and stop the inflow of trash in our oceans.

Educate

Second aim is to educate and inspire students from elementary school to universities on the issue and allow them to have the same eye-opening experience while picking up trash for the first time.

Transform

We organize teambuilding cleanups combined with workshops on how to reduce the use of single-use items at home, at work and in society. Doing so we create a network of organizations, scientists & researchers, businesses and policy makers in order to create cross-border solutions.

In action

Become a River Warrior

Latest news

Europe takes a historic step in the fight against plastic pollution

Europe turns off the plastic tap - Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste from Europe end up in countries outside the EU. There, the plastic ends up in landfills or is incinerated, a toxic process that releases toxins into nature. The European Parliament is now putting an end to this by voting for a historic ban on the export of plastic waste. From now on, EU countries will be obliged to take responsibility and process their own waste. A welcome step in the right direction, but the road is still long.

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River Skimmer 2.0: device collects floating litter using improved technology

Ghent, 28 October 2022 – River Cleanup has launched the River Skimmer 2.0 today at Dok Noord in Ghent. The device, an improved version of the first River Skimmer, uses innovative technology to collect floating litter non-stop and effectively clean up our waterways. The new River Skimmer was introduced and officially baptized at the press event. Volunteers then rolled up their sleeves to clean up litter in and around the dock.

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River Cleanup aims to be a knowledge hub

River Cleanup is about to launch a new machine to remove rubbish from water. The Belgian non-profit organisation that strives for plastic-free rivers has collected over one million kilograms of waste in the past three years. In the meantime, the target is no longer a question of kilograms, but of global impact.

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