The Impossible Cleanup® Fund
Some coastlines are too remote to clean.
We go there.
In partnership with UNESCO, we restore the marine World Heritage sites most affected by plastic pollution. Canadian donors can now join the mission.
Open to Canadian donors · $ CAD · Official donation receipt from Myriad Canada
Photo: Plastic Odyssey, Impossible Cleanup® mission
The problem
The most protected places on the Ocean are the hardest to clean
Marine World Heritage sites are remote reefs and islands, days of sailing from any port. Plastic reaches them anyway. Until now, no vessel and no team were able to work there.
51
marine World Heritage sites protected by UNESCO
10%+
of all known marine species live in these sites
19 t
of plastic waste pour into the Ocean every minute
Ocean science
Plastic pollution, microplastics and marine life
Marine biology and environmental science help us understand how plastic pollution affects ocean ecosystems. Our missions connect that knowledge with practical action: studying remote coastlines, removing plastic debris and sharing what we learn.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. Some form when larger plastic objects break into smaller pieces. They can be found in ocean water, on shorelines and in seabed sediments.
How does plastic pollution affect marine life?
Marine animals can swallow plastic debris or become entangled in discarded fishing gear. Plastic pollution reaches coastal habitats and remote islands alike. Protecting marine life means reducing waste at its source as well as removing debris already in the environment.
How do coastal cleanups address microplastics?
Removing larger plastic debris addresses one source of future fragments. Our Impossible Cleanup missions collect visible waste from hard-to-reach coastlines; they are not a system for filtering microplastics out of the ocean. Cleanup and plastic reduction are complementary actions.
What can students and teachers learn from these missions?
The mission photographs and field stories on this page offer real examples for discussing ocean ecosystems, water pollution and practical solutions. Explore the cleanup missions below, then use the volunteer section to express interest in educational and awareness projects.
Impossible Cleanup® missions
Proof, not promises
Henderson Island, South Pacific, 2024: our crew removed 9.3 tonnes of plastic from one of the most remote islands on Earth. That mission is the model for the ones that follow.
Next: Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, with more than 500 tonnes of plastic estimated on its shores. The partnership with UNESCO, announced on 10 June 2025 at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, is built to repeat this in site after site.
About the UNESCO partnership
Study
Scientific data from places never surveyed before, measured before, during and after each mission.
Restore
Plastic removed by hand and by boat, sorted and processed with local partners, so it never returns to the sea.
Inspire
Stories, images and educational tools from the field, so each site protects itself for good.
Your impact
Every $10 removes about 1 kg of plastic
Your donation goes to Myriad Canada for The Impossible Cleanup® Fund project and funds field operations where conventional cleanups are impractical. You choose your amount on the Myriad Canada page.
Giving from Canada
$ CAD
Give in Canadian dollars, no conversion on your side.
Official receipt
Issued by Myriad Canada, a registered Canadian charity. All donations are eligible for a tax receipt in Canada.
Secure page
Credit card, monthly giving, cheque, direct deposit or securities, on myriadcanada.org.
Who we are
Plastic Odyssey Fund is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit, partner of Plastic Odyssey.
Join the Impossible Cleanup®. Onward, for the Ocean.
Donate nowVolunteer
Get involved locally or at sea
Put your skills to work for the ocean. Join a local Lighthouse chapter or help us build solutions from the ground up.
Through local chapters in the U.S. and Canada, Plastic Odyssey Fund helps advance scalable cleanup operations, low-tech recycling innovation, and ocean protection missions around the world.
Fill the form
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Partner with us
Collaborate to create bold impact
Looking to make waves together? We collaborate with mission-aligned companies to create bold impact.
Established to combat plastic pollution, the fund engages philanthropies, corporations, governments, and individual donors in supporting Plastic Odyssey’s initiatives worldwide. By driving these efforts, Plastic Odyssey Fund helps scale proven solutions, protect ocean ecosystems, and raise awareness. Plastic Odyssey Fund is also part of the 9Zero climate community.
Learn moreFill the form
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