Founded by Patricia Almeida, the project returns at a time when plastic waste management continues to be a major environmental challenge for the world’s oceans. By combining public awareness, waste collection, recycling, and creative reuse, the initiative demonstrates how community-level action can contribute to broader circular solutions. The new phase will focus on a large-scale campaign across Brazil promoting public awareness, plastic waste collection and the transformation of plastic materials.
“Guardiãs do Mar was created from the urgency to rethink our relationship with the oceans. Waste does not recognize borders — it travels across the world through ocean currents. Relaunching the project in 2026, particularly in regions such as Santos where plastic pollution remains a significant issue, is a call for collective action. Our goal is to transform knowledge into action and demonstrate that circular solutions begin at the local level,” said Patricia Almeida, Founder of the Guardiãs do Mar project.
With 20 recycling facilities across 11 countries, Indorama Ventures has recycled more than 160 billion PET bottles, and counting. This collaboration reinforces the project’s role in advancing the circular economy, promoting environmental education, and strengthening partnerships for sustainable development. Following the collection phase, part of the PET collected will be directed to industrial recycling, while the remaining materials will be used as raw material for hands-on workshops organized by Guardiãs do Mar. Led by a design expert, these workshops will transform collected plastics into musical instruments and art installations, highlighting the principles of the circular economy and demonstrating how waste materials can be transformed into valuable resources.
