Kia and The Ocean Cleanup strengthen operations to accelerate river plastic removal in Guatemala

• Kia donates two trucks to global partner The Ocean Cleanup to support river plastic removal operations in Guatemala
• Vehicles will help accelerate transport of intercepted waste from capture systems to sorting and management facilities
• Initiative strengthens Kia’s long-term partnership with The Ocean Cleanup aimed at preventing plastic pollution from reaching the world’s oceans

Kia has donated two trucks to its global partner, The Ocean Cleanup, to expedite the removal of plastic pollution from rivers in Guatemala. The initiative is the latest phase in Kia and The Ocean Cleanup’s long-term strategic alliance, which is dedicated to capturing river pollution before it enters the world’s oceans and to removing pollution that has already reached the oceans.

Guatemala is a key location for Kia’s partnership with The Ocean Cleanup, given the environmental impact of significant amounts of plastic pollution carried by the Motagua and Las Vacas rivers.

To address this issue, Kia has been supporting The Ocean Cleanup’s initiatives to remove plastic from rivers and prevent it from entering the ocean. Kia’s donation of two K2700 trucks reinforces this endeavour and reaffirms the shared commitment to sustainable, high-impact solutions for the region.

Why is Guatemala a critical point in the fight against plastic pollution?
The Motagua and Las Vacas rivers have become two of the most significant sources of plastic waste entering the Caribbean Sea.

• Approximately 20,000 tons of trash flows through Las Vacas Motagua rivers annually.
• Pollution of marine ecosystems.
• Detrimental effect on coastal communities in Guatemala and neighbouring countries.

How have Kia and The Ocean Cleanup been addressing the problem of river pollution?
Kia has been supporting The Ocean Cleanup in deploying two innovative floating trash-capture systems known as ‘Interceptors.’

• Interceptor 006 deployed in Las Vacas River.
• Interceptor 021 deployed in lower Motagua basin.
• Barriers concentrate waste from river current and guide it to extraction area, where trash is removed and processed.

How will Kia’s donation of two trucks expedite river pollution clean-up?
The large volume of collected material requires an efficient transportation system to ensure uninterrupted operations, and the Kia trucks will play a crucial role in fulfilling this by:

• Speeding up the removal of intercepted material at capture points.
• Facilitating transport to management and sorting centres.
• Reducing bottlenecks within the logistics operation.
• Ensuring continuity and efficiency in cleanup activities.

What impact have Kia and the Ocean Cleanup made on Guatemala and the region?
The main goal of Kia and The Ocean Cleanup in Guatemala is clear: to stop plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the ocean. This work contributes to:

• Protecting marine and freshwater ecosystems.
• Mitigating environmental impacts on local communities
• Reducing the amount of waste reaching the Caribbean Sea.
• Minimising economic and social impacts associated with plastic pollution.

Kia’s support transforms a global alliance into tangible local actions, generating long-lasting benefits both in Guatemala and throughout the Caribbean.

The scale and scope of the work can be seen in the film Kia x The Ocean Cleanup | Stemming the Plastic Tide in Guatemala’s Rivers

Ends

About Kia Corporation
Kia (www.kia.com) is a global mobility brand with a vision to create sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. Founded in 1944, Kia has been providing mobility solutions for more than 80 years. With 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in more than 190 markets, and manufacturing facilities in six countries, the company today sells around three million vehicles a year. Kia is spearheading the popularisation of electrified and battery electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging millions of people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around. The company’s brand slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’ – reflects Kia’s commitment to inspire consumers through its products and services.

For more information, visit the Kia Global Media Center for more.

About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit organisation that develops and scales technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. By conducting extensive research, engineering scalable solutions, and partnering with governments, industry, and like-minded organisations, The Ocean Cleanup is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic already polluting the oceans. As of February 2026, the non-profit has collected over 47 million kilograms (103.5 million pounds) of trash from aquatic ecosystems around the world. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a multi-disciplined team of approximately 200 people. The organisation is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with international operations in 10 countries.

About Kia Europe
Kia Europe is the European sales and manufacturing division of Kia Corporation – a global mobility brand that is creating innovative, pioneering, and leading sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. As a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider, Kia is spearheading the popularisation of electrified and battery electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around.

Kia Europe, headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, employs in total over 5,500 employees from 40 nationalities in 39 markets across Europe and the Caucasus. It also oversees European production at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Zilina, Slovakia. Kia’s innovative products continue to attract great acclaim, notably the EV6 battery electric vehicle, becoming the first Korean car to be named European Car of the Year in 2022.

Kia UK PR contact details
For further information on Kia please visit www.kiapressoffice.com or contact: 

Follow Kia UK PR on Instagram: @KiaUKPR
Follow Kia UK on LinkedIn: Kia UK Limited | LinkedIn
Follow Kia UK on Facebook: Kia UK | Facebook
Watch Kia UK on YouTube: Kia UK - YouTube