By Sol Moyano, The Invading Sea
A South Florida company celebrated a major milestone last week in its cleanup efforts: 50 million pounds of plastic and other trash pulled from beaches and other places where it would otherwise end up polluting water bodies.
Boca Raton-based 4ocean is a for-profit company that funds ocean cleanups by selling products made from recycled materials. The company celebrated the 50-million-pound milestone with a beach cleanup at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton.
“It really shows how our operations are really growing and scaling, and we’re probably on track to doing a million pounds a month,” said Heather Overman, sustainability partnerships manager for 4ocean.
Funded in 2017 by Florida Atlantic University alumni Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze, 4ocean is perhaps best known for its unique bracelets made from plastic and other ocean waste. For every bracelet sold, 1 pound of plastic is removed from the ocean, according to the company’s website.
Shulze, now CEO of 4ocean, said the company has grown significantly since the first 1 million pounds of trash were cleaned up.
“It took us 18 months to get to that million-pound mark,” Shulze said. “Now, year to date, we’re already at about 1.2-1.3 million pounds.”
During his speech, Shulze reminisced about how the 4ocean mission began. The company started by hiring students from an FAU job fair, letting anyone interested have a job helping out in some way. Schulze and Cooper were named to Forbes’ “30 under 30″ list for social entrepreneurship in those early years, while the company’s efforts eventually expanded worldwide.
“It is my vision and our dream to expand our cleanups, to reach more places that are affected by plastic pollution, create more jobs, get more vessels in the water, and get more plastic and trash out of the ocean,” Shulze said.
Overman said that 4ocean cleanup crews are now out on South Florida beaches about five days a week. Microplastics are one of the things found most on the beach, she said, which was the focus of the cleanup last Friday celebrating the 50-million-pound milestone.
The company provided large tongs, bags and gloves to collect whatever trash that volunteers could find. Most of the trash was tiny, only visible if you paid close attention. For about two hours, everybody scattered the beach, trying to avoid hopping seagulls and locals who were sunbathing.
Before heading to the beach, staff, volunteers, sponsors and others gathered to have breakfast and talk. There were tables where Boca Raton’s Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, one of 4ocean’s partners, showcased its sea turtle research. At another tent, 4ocean’s staff demonstrated new watches they’re selling, made from microplastics.
Speakers included 4ocean staff members who gave motivational and appreciative speeches dedicated to partners, staff and volunteers. Boca Raton’s deputy mayor, Fran Nachlas, also congratulated the 4ocean team.
“The city of Boca Raton signed on as one of 4ocean’s earliest partners, because we believed in this mission from the very beginning,” Nachlas said.
Tony Ernst, director of partnerships and cleanups for 4ocean, praised those whose companies participate in cleanups.
“Millions of pounds of trash do not leave the ocean because of one decision-maker,” Ernst said “They leave the ocean because of a system of people inside your companies who chose to act.”
Sol Moyano is a senior majoring in multimedia journalism at Florida Atlantic University who is reporting for The Invading Sea in the spring 2026 semester. Banner photo: Volunteers take part in the 4ocean cleanup event (Photo courtesy of 4ocean).
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