Mumbai is set to deploy plastic-trapping barriers at the Malad and Trombay waterways as part of a collaboration between Netherlands-based non-profit The Ocean Cleanup, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). The initiative aims to prevent large volumes of plastic waste from entering the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
According to The Ocean Cleanup, the barriers are expected to recover between 61 and 92 tonnes of plastic annually once fully operational. The first phase of deployment is scheduled to begin in 2026, with preparatory work set to start before the onset of the monsoon.
1st Deployments Near Trombay & Malad
“Mumbai will witness the deployment of barriers to stop the flow of plastic waste into the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The first deployments will focus on the Trombay and Malad waterways, identified through a data-driven analysis as major contributors to ocean-bound plastic waste,” the organisation said in a statement. Research by The Ocean Cleanup indicates that nearly 80 per cent of marine litter along India’s coastline is made up of plastic.
A survey conducted by the organisation estimates that Mumbai releases around 5 million kg of plastic waste into marine waters every year. This pollution impacts about 220 km of coastline, 152 sq km of mangroves, 107 protected species and nearly 1.9 million livelihoods dependent on coastal and marine ecosystems. Urban runoff, industrial discharge and inadequate waste management practices have been identified as the primary sources of plastic leakage.
Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, said India is a crucial geography in the global fight against plastic pollution. “With such a large proportion of plastic on India’s coasts, stopping waste before it reaches the ocean is crucial in safeguarding the ocean against plastic pollution,” he said. He added that Mumbai has been identified as a priority intervention point under the organisation’s 30 Cities Programme.
Research by The Ocean Cleanup shows that just 1,000 of the world’s nearly 3 million rivers account for about 80 per cent of plastic emissions into the ocean. Through the 30 Cities Programme, the organisation aims to cut one-third of global river-based plastic emissions by targeting the most polluting urban waterways worldwide, with Mumbai emerging as one of the key focus areas due to the scale of plastic leakage and its impact on local communities and ecosystems.
