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The Westerdok serves as a critical entry point from the monumental canals of Amsterdam into the IJ, a key waterway that flows into the North Sea Canal, leading directly to the North Sea. By placing Bubble Barrier Amsterdam in the Westerdok, plastic is prevented from reaching the North Sea.
Plastic pollution significantly impacts water ecosystems globally, with urban water systems identified as the primary sources of plastic contamination in rivers.
Amsterdam, the capital city with more waterways than Venice and more bridges than Paris, is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal belt. This busy area attracts a lot of ship traffic and recreational activity, but unfortunately, it also struggles with river plastic pollution.
Developing effective strategies to reduce and manage this pollution is crucial to preserving the ecological health of these vital water systems.
Bubble Barrier Amsterdam was commissioned by Waterschap Amstel, Gooi and Vecht and the Municipality of Amsterdam as part of the “Amsterdam Clean Water” programme, with the goal of achieving plastic-free waters in Amsterdam by 2030.
Waternet, on behalf of the water board and municipality, cleans the city's waterways daily using boats. The integration of Bubble Barrier technology into the city's waste management system allows for the efficient capture and removal of smaller, submerged plastic waste.
Bubble Barrier Amsterdam captures plastic 24/7 and covers the full width and depth of the canal. It’s powered by renewable energy from the city’s electrical grid.
Besides capturing plastic pollution, Bubble Barrier Amsterdam is used as a monitoring tool to assess plastic pollution types, levels, and origins. This data is important to effectively prevent plastic waste from entering the canals in the future.
On behalf of Waterschap Amstel, Gooi and Vecht, a research alliance with the Plastic Soup Foundation and The Great Bubble Barrier was formed to monitor the plastic catch of Bubble Barrier Amsterdam.
Waste collected by the bubble screen in Westerdok has been dried, sorted, and analysed for over a year. By using the OSPAR monitoring method, which has over 100 unique categories, valuable insights can be gained.
