The idea is simple. A tube with holes is placed on the bottom of a river. Pumping air through the tube creates a bubble curtain. The air bubbles force plastics in the water to the surface, making them accessible for removal. This concept is used in the oil industry, the dredging industry and in the Dutch lock system. By placing the bubble barrier diagonally to the flow of a river, the power of the river forces debris to the banks of the river, where it can be easily removed from the water.

At the moment, there are Bubble Barriers in use, you can find the Bubble Barriers that have been implemented on our timeline.

We are using a catchment system which is designed by TGBB to work in line with the Bubble Barrier. The catchment system is always adapted to work with the existing infrastructure of each project. However, the combination of our Bubble Barrier with other catchment systems is also possible.

Most species will just pass through the Bubble Barrier or take a short time before they pass it. We nevertheless implement a fish passage in each design, for example under the catchment system. We will always carefully consider the ecological impact of each Bubble Barrier.

Whales use bubbles to hunt fish. Does the Bubble Barrier have the same effect on fish?

Humpback whales use the so called “bubble-net feeding” method to concentrate herring near the water surface. The whales use air bubbles to blow a ring around the school of fish before they jointly breach the surface and feed on the fish. Research suggests that the main driver behind the concentration of the fish is the sound which the whales make when they blow the bubble ring. The bubbles will create a “wall of sound” which scares the fish away from it rather than being afraid of the bubbles themselves. Our Bubble Barrier is silent, thin and doesn’t come as a surprise.

We want to prevent plastic from ever reaching the sea or oceans. Therefore, our Bubble Barrier system is designed for rivers and canals.

Bubble curtains can also be used for other applications than the capture of plastic. However, our Bubble Barrier system focuses on the capture of plastic only. For all other applications with bubble curtains, we would like to put you in touch with one of our partners.

Until now we have implemented the tube of the bubble curtain of the Bubble Barrier to a depth of 7 meters. It can be investigated whether the Bubble Barrier can be placed even deeper.

The Bubble Barrier is tube, made of EPDM, with holes in it. This tube is reinforced with a steel cable and is attached to the bottom at some points with steel or (recycled) concrete blocks.

The Great Bubble Barrier is a young and fast-growing Dutch start-up based in Amsterdam Noord.
We are proud of our growth, mentality and the impact that we can achieve. To get the rivers free from plastics again, we’re always in need of talented and motivated pioneers who can support this mission and want to change the world with their own hands. Are you already sparkling? View all opportunities and openings now. View all job openings here >>