Pollution will be one of key topics on the agenda at the upcoming UN COP16 biodiversity conference in the Colombian city of Cali starting October 21.
Every year, about eight million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, according to the UN.
The Plastico Precioso Uramba charity is spearheading a major clean-up in Bahia Malaga, where it has collected about 16 tons of garbage since 2019.
The key to its success was inventing a currency to encourage collection: each 250 grams (0.55 pounds) of plastic collected can be redeemed for a plastic coin, which in turn can be traded for a range of goods at a store run by the charity.
For example, a notebook costs the equivalent of 30 plastic bottle caps.
"The garbage problem is transformed into incentives for local economies," Sergio Pardo, director of Plastico Precioso Uramba explained.
And children are the footsoldiers in his war on plastic waste.