Long Beach approves MOU to pilot trash‑capture at the LA River mouth

The Long Beach City Council on March 17 approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Los Angeles County and nonprofit The Ocean Cleanup to pilot an in‑river trash‑capture project at the mouth of the LA River.

City staff told the council the LA River watershed covers roughly 5 million people across 44 cities and that about 4,000 tons of trash and debris travel down the river annually, of which roughly half is already collected by county booms. A city staffer said the pilot’s engineering and permitting costs are estimated at about $1.5 million, with capital costs ranging from $4.5 million to $7.7 million, for a total project estimate currently between $6 million and $9 million; staff reported $4.3 million has already been budgeted toward the effort.

Councilmembers framed the MOU as a regional responsibility. Councilmember Duggan said the partnership is the “next steps” to bring technological solutions and regional coordination to reduce debris on Long Beach beaches and improve water quality. Duggan added, “In just the last quarter of 2025, our city removed 25 million pounds of trash from our waterways and beaches,” noting cleanup currently relies heavily on Tidelands Fund resources.

Councilmembers asked detailed questions about cost uncertainty, data collection and trash composition. A city staffer answered that the pilot would quantify and classify material collected during the first years of operation and that early estimates include a contingency band (concept‑level estimates could be 15% lower or up to 30% higher). Staff said regulatory permitting and coordination with at least nine agencies remain on the project’s critical path; the city aims to complete design and permitting and, depending on choices and funding, implement the settled solution in early 2028.

City staff and council described funding as a mix of the city’s budgeted amounts, potential county participation and possible capital support from The Ocean Cleanup and other grant sources. The MOU, as presented, emphasizes data sharing and coordination while final funding commitments and a detailed design are developed.

The council approved the MOU; the clerk announced, “Motion is carried.” According to staff, next steps include executing the MOU, continuing engineering and permitting work, quantifying debris composition during operation, and seeking additional funds to close the budget gap.

Why it matters: Long Beach is the downstream recipient of debris from an extensive watershed; councilmembers said upstream interventions and regional coordination are necessary to protect recreational beaches and public health. The pilot establishes a mechanism to test capture technologies and gather the data needed to seek larger funding and regulatory support.