Dutch company Great Bubble Barrier has developed a technology to combat plastic pollution in rivers by intercepting approximately 86% of floating waste before it reaches the oceans. The system uses a curtain of air bubbles to guide plastic towards a collection point on the riverbank, without obstructing the passage of fish or interfering with navigation.
The solution involves installing a perforated tube on the riverbed, connected to an air pump. As air is released, an ascending bubble barrier forms diagonally against the current, naturally directing waste towards a collection system on the bank.
According to the company, the technology’s effectiveness has been validated by universities and independent research institutes, which confirmed a capture rate of approximately 86% of plastic present at the water’s surface. The system is currently operational in Amsterdam, Katwijk, and Harlingen in the Netherlands, as well as near Vila do Conde in Portugal. New installations are under negotiation in several European countries and in the United States.
According to Anne Marieke Eveleens, business development director at Great Bubble Barrier, intercepting plastic while it is still in rivers is a more effective strategy than collecting it from the ocean, where waste is already widely dispersed. She also warned that global plastic production continues to rise and could triple by 2030, compounding the pollution problem.
The next phase of the initiative involves expanding the technology to Southeast Asia, a region that is home to some of the world’s most heavily polluted rivers. However, implementation depends on securing the necessary environmental permits, the existence of efficient waste management systems, and cooperation between local authorities and communities.
Beyond waste removal, the system collects data on the types of plastic found, their origin, and frequency of occurrence, enabling authorities to develop more effective public policies to prevent pollution at source.
According to the Ciclo Vivo website, the initiative’s international recognition was further reinforced after Great Bubble Barrier won the Earthshot Prize — created by Prince William to distinguish innovative environmental protection solutions — boosting the expansion of the technology into new markets.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=528251
