In Amsterdam, bubbles are experimented to trap plastic and waste from the canals

    In Amsterdam, the world's first barrier made entirely of bubbles was created to stem plastic debris and free rivers.

    It does not interfere with wildlife or boats and keeps rivers free of plastic and litter: the world's first barrier made entirely of bubbles was created in Amsterdam to collect debris from the city's canals before they reach the North Sea. In this way, more than 80% of floating waste can be diverted by canals or rivers.





    This is the Great Bubble Barrier, created by a Dutch start-up in collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam and the regional water committee, which is nothing more than a device, a sort of large whirlpool tub, that conveys waste - in particular small pieces of plastic - on one side of the Westerdok canal where they can then be recovered.

    “Over two-thirds of the plastic in the ocean comes out of rivers and canals, so if you have to intercept it, why not do it in rivers?” Asks Philip Ehrhorn, co-inventor of the technology. You can't put a physical barrier in a canal: it has to be opened for wildlife ”.

    The barrier, therefore, is "bubble" and is a long perforated tube flowing diagonally for 60 meters across the bottom of the canal. Compressed air is pumped through the tube and rises to the top and at this point the natural water current helps push the waste to one side. For now the device "trapped" in a small platform on the side of the Westerdokskade at the tip of Amsterdam's historic canal belt.

    In Amsterdam, bubbles are experimented to trap plastic and waste from the canals In Amsterdam, bubbles are experimented to trap plastic and waste from the canals

    The hope is that this system will be able to help address and resolve the growing ocean plastic waste crisis. Estimates indicate that 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the world's seas every year, the equivalent of a truckload of old bottles, trays and containers every minute.

    In Amsterdam, bubbles are experimented to trap plastic and waste from the canals

    The first barrier in Amsterdam - which is expected to operate 24 hours a day for at least three years - aims to complement dredging operations which currently collect 42 kg of larger plastics each year from the Dutch capital's waterways.



    "The bubble barrier will mean fewer plastics will reach the ocean and is a step towards better regulation of our ecosystem, for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment," the experts conclude.


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