Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO) is USAID’s global, flagship program for implementing the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and reducing the estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic that flow into the ocean each year. By enhancing circularity in rapidly urbanizing areas of developing countries, Clean Cities, Blue Ocean is targeting a major source of ocean plastic pollution.

  • USAID’s Five Building Blocks for Reduced Ocean Plastic Pollution together create the program’s systems approach:

USAID strongly believes that local solutions are key to addressing the global challenge of ocean plastic pollution. The program works in collaboration with local partners, as well global experts, to implement and test locally-relevant and sustainable approaches to reduce ocean plastics that can be shared, scaled, and tailored to meet the needs and local realities of individual communities, public and private sector actors, and waste value chains around the world.

Learn more about Clean Cities, Blue Ocean’s program approach and technical areas, or download the program fact sheet.

CCBO Focal Countries

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean works across ten countries and in more than 25 cities in Asia, Pacific Islands, Latin America and the Caribbean. Through these activities, USAID is implementing the priorities of Section 202 of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act in key ocean plastic pollution hotspots.

Program Impact

As of March 2023, Clean Cities, Blue Ocean has:

  • Safely managed over 445,000 metric tons of waste and recyclables 
  • Prevented over 60,000 metric tons of plastics (the equivalent of nearly 6.5 billion plastic bottles) from leaking into the environment
  • Recovered and diverted over 1,800 metric tons of plastic and other waste from landfills, while supporting local livelihoods and building circular economies
  • Trained over 7,100 individuals from local government, the informal waste sector, and local organizations to build local capacity for solid waste management planning and programs
  • Directly impacted over 9.2 million individuals who have experienced improved air and water quality as a result of landfill remediation activities or have improved access to waste services as a result of new local businesses and organizations
  • Awarded over $6.9 million in grants to more than 43 local organizations and in-kind support to 8 city governments to implement effective, locally-led solutions
  • Mobilized over $8.5 million in additional investments for improved solid waste management systems and infrastructure
  • Formed partnerships with local governments; private sector partners, including Nestle Philippines and the Coca-Cola Foundation; and groups including the Metro Manila Development Authority and World Bank, to build sustainable, circular economies

For general inquiries about Clean Cities, Blue Ocean, please contact info@cleancitiesblueocean.org. For questions specific to grant opportunities, please contact opportunities@cleancitiesblueocean.org.

Key Resources

See All Resources
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Overview

March 31, 2023
Fact Sheet

Strengthening Routing and Collection for Improved Waste Management Fact Sheet

May 23, 2023
Case Study

Strengthening Routing and Collection for Improved Waste Management

May 23, 2023
Case Study

Reducing Single-Use Plastics Through Social and Behavior Change Research

May 23, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Dominican Republic Fact Sheet

April 3, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean – Indonesia Fact Sheet

April 3, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Maldives Fact Sheet

April 3, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Peru Fact Sheet

March 31, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Philippines Fact Sheet

March 31, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Sri Lanka Fact Sheet

March 31, 2023
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Vietnam Fact Sheet

April 3, 2023
Technical Note/Tool

Trials of Improved Practices Manual

May 17, 2023
Case Study

Modelo de saneamiento de vertederos para reducir el impacto
climático y la contaminación por plásticos en los océanos

March 17, 2023
Fact Sheet

Solid Waste Capacity Index for Local Governments (SCIL) Fact Sheet

March 2, 2023
Case Study

Building Local Government Capacity for Improved Solid Waste Management Systems

March 1, 2023
Case Study

Empowering Informal Waste Workers

March 1, 2023
Case Study

A model for waste site remediation to reduce climate impacts and ocean plastic pollution

February 15, 2023
Issue/Policy Brief

USAID Extended Producer Responsibility Roundtable (EPR) Summary

January 17, 2023
Technical Note/Tool

Solid Waste Capacity Index for Local Governments (SCIL) Tool

December 14, 2022
Fact Sheet

Advancing a Circular Economy and Empowering the Informal Waste Sector

November 29, 2022
Fact Sheet

The Women in Waste’s Economic Empowerment (WWEE) Fact Sheet

November 10, 2022
Technical Note/Tool

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean’s Solid Waste Cost-of-Service Analysis 

November 7, 2022
Fact Sheet

Addressing Climate Change Through Circularity and Improved Solid Waste Management

November 3, 2022
Fact Sheet

Conserving Marine Biodiversity by Combating Ocean Plastics

November 3, 2022
Technical Note/Tool

Marine Litter Audit Guidebook

November 2, 2022
Technical Note/Tool

Street Litter Audit Guidebook

November 2, 2022
Technical Note/Tool

Solid Waste Capacity Index for Local Governments (SCIL) Assessment Tool Overview

June 9, 2022
Case Study

Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution from Cities: A USAID Case Study from Parañaque City, Philippines

May 16, 2022
Report

Social and Behavior Change Trials of Improved Practices: Final Results – Samaná Province, Dominican Republic

May 12, 2022
Project Report

Funding Options for Solid Waste Systems in Low- to Middle-Income Countries

May 12, 2022
Technical Note/Tool

Clean Cities Blue Ocean Initial Gender Assessment

May 12, 2022
Fact Sheet

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Gender Equality & Women’s Economic Empowerment Fact Sheet

December 29, 2021
Case Study

Brief: Reducing Ocean Plastic Pollution in Paranaque City, Philippines

November 8, 2021
Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Training Hub:
Access live and on-demand events and trainings.