A Dutch bubble curtain catches 86% of river plastic before it reaches the sea

The Great Bubble Barrier lays a perforated tube diagonally across a riverbed, pumping air to create a rising curtain that pushes floating and submerged plastic to a bank collector — without blocking fish or boats. Active in Amsterdam, Katwijk, Harlingen, and Vila do Conde, Portugal, the system is now expanding internationally, backed by Earthshot Prize recognition.