An uninhabited jewel in the Atlantic, Santa Luzia is a UNESCO tentative World Heritage site—and despite its remoteness, it’s plagued by relentless plastic pollution.

Santa Luzia, together with Ilhéus Branco and Raso, forms a UNESCO Tentative World Heritage reserve famed for its vital turtle nesting grounds, seabirds, and unique biodiversity. In 2023, Plastic Odyssey conducted a reconnaissance stopover and documented beaches heavily littered with plastic bottles, fishing gear, and ocean-borne waste (read more). Despite being uninhabited, this “lost” island bears the mark of global pollution.

🧭 Our Plan

Building on insights from Henderson Island and Aldabra Atoll, Plastic Odyssey is preparing a 1–2 month mission to Santa Luzia, Cape Verde, that will:

Collect and characterize beach debris in biodiversity hotspots
Trial micro‑recycling for on-site plastic conversion
Document the mission through video, photography, and storytelling
Share learnings to inform lasting protection strategies across Cape Verde and beyond

🏛️ Official Mission in Partnership with UNESCO

Plastic Odyssey’s Impossible Cleanups are conducted under a formal cooperation agreement with UNESCO, aimed at protecting marine World Heritage Sites from the rising threat of plastic pollution. As part of this mission, we work in coordination with UNESCO to identify high-priority sites, conduct field operations with scientific oversight, and produce educational content and reports that amplify impact globally.

Thanks to this partnership, Plastic Odyssey receives institutional support to access fragile sites, engage local stakeholders, and highlight UNESCO’s environmental priorities through shared communication, education, and research.

🔬Research 🧹 Restore 📣 Reshare

RESEARCH: To study how microplastics and pathogenic bacteria silently threaten marine biodiversity — even in the most protected places on Earth. This groundbreaking science will inform global policy, conservation, and awareness.
RESTORE: To remove tons of plastic from Aldabra’s beaches — without harming fragile ecosystems. Our mobile lab and low-tech systems will map and test scalable solutions for isolated cleanups worldwide.
RESHARE: To transform this expedition into powerful stories, films, and educational tools for the public, youth, and decision-makers. What’s invisible today must become unforgettable tomorrow.

🎯 Where Your Gift Goes

Your donation supports RESTORE, Plastic Odyssey Fund’s program for large-scale marine cleanups.

Vessel operations, logistics, and scientific crew
Field cleanups and waste characterization
On-board tech for recycling trials
Visual storytelling, outreach, and educational content

While this page details our mission to Santa Luzia, Cape Verde, your contribution fuels the broader RESTORE program—supporting urgent cleanup and restoration efforts at some of the most plastic-polluted and biodiverse marine sanctuaries on Earth.

Plastic Odyssey Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the U.S. (Tax ID / EIN: 99-4899981). All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

🐢 Why It Matters

Because Santa Luzia ranks fourth nationally for loggerhead turtle nesting, it’s a vital haven for sea turtle conservation .
Because even its remote beaches face plastic pollution, field studies recorded up to 917 plastic items per square meter, making it a clear microcosm of global ocean pollution .
Because lessons learned here can protect others, this mission will pioneer scalable cleanup methods directly supporting UNESCO-designated and similarly fragile marine sanctuaries.

This is not just a cleanup. It’s a chance to prove that nothing is too remote, too difficult, or too late to save. Join the Impossible Cleanup. Help us Defend Santa Luzia — and the future of our oceans!

🔱 Santa Luzia Impossible Cleanup: Defending Cape Verde’s Lost Atlantic Island

By Plastic Odyssey Fund

🔱 Santa Luzia Impossible Cleanup: Defending Cape Verde’s Lost Atlantic Island

Plastic Odyssey heads back to Santa Luzia with UNESCO support, launching a high-stakes mission to defend one of the Atlantic’s last wild and uninhabited islands.

Team Members

🔱 Santa Luzia Impossible Cleanup: Defending Cape Verde’s Lost Atlantic Island

🔱 Santa Luzia Impossible Cleanup: Defending Cape Verde’s Lost Atlantic Island