Some people were cleaning up along the coast in the Netherlands. They noticed a surprising pattern in the pollution. Most of the plastic trash was where the river emptied into the sea. The river had carried the litter from inland to the coast.

From that discovery bubbled up an idea: the Great Bubble Barrier. This barrier can catch a lot of these plastics. It stops them before they trash the sea. The oceans are already choking on plastic pollution. The Great Bubble Barrier might be part of a solution to a big problem.

The Promise and the Problem of Plastic

Plastic is an amazing material. It is cheap and durable. And it can be shaped for many uses. You can find it in packaging, toys, straws—most anywhere you look.

That's a big problem because plastic lasts and LASTS. Unlike materials such as wood or clay, plastic doesn't break down in nature. In fact, most plastic ever made is still around. And plastic isn't easy to recycle.

That means most plastic ends up in landfills. A lot of it becomes litter, too. Rain and wind push this trash into streams and rivers. These waterways then carry it to the sea. There, it harms ecosystems and wildlife. Marine animals often mistake plastic for food. Some get tangled in plastic netting. In addition, chemicals in plastic poison the water.

The Bubble Solution

In the Netherlands, a group of environmentalists wanted to do more to keep plastic out of the North Sea. Research shows that most plastic in the ocean comes from rivers. But the big challenge? How to catch it without blocking boat traffic and wildlife. The group came up with an idea: the Great Bubble Barrier.

This is how the Great Bubble Barrier works. A tube with holes is placed on the bottom of the river. Air is pumped through the tube. This makes bubbles that push plastic trash to the surface. There, the flowing river forces the plastic to one side. Then the plastic is trapped and removed.

The group put a long bubble barrier across the Oude Rijn River. A learning center is being planned, too. There, visitors will find out how they can help reduce plastic pollution. Other countries are also interested in the bubble barrier. Soon, they may build their own.

The world's plastic problem is serious. Bubble barriers alone won't solve it, experts say. But the Dutch project may help keep plastic trash out of the sea. It also shows how creative solutions can protect the environment According to the article, which of these must happen second?


Plastic is pushed to one side of the water.
Air bubbles push plastic to the water's surface.
Air is pumped through holes in a tube.
Trash is trapped on the surface and removed.