ENGIE Foundation and The Great Bubble Barrier signed a partnership to support the implementation of a new Bubble Barrier in the District of Porto in Portugal. The new Bubble Barrier is the first of its kind in Portugal and will be implemented by Q3 2022. The Bubble Barrier could reduce approximately 86% of all plastic from flowing in to the Atlantic Ocean each year coming from a river in this region.
Signature of the partnership by Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, President of the ENGIE Foundation and Philip Ehrhorn, Chief Technology Officer, Co-Founder of The Great Bubble Barrier
Claire Waysand, Executive Vice President of ENGIE – Vice Président of the ENGIE Foundation ; Jean-Pierre Clamadieu Chairman of the Board of Directors at ENGIE.- President of ENGIE Foundation , Philip Ehrhorn , Chief Technology Officer, Co-Founder de The Great Bubble Barrier et Paulo Almirante Executive Vice President of ENGIE
Plastic pollution is threatening coastlines globally, and Portugal is no exception. According to a recent study the Porto region is home to two of the rivers with the highest levels of plastic pollution in Portugal There is an urgent need for measures that stop plastic from flowing into our oceans. With the installation of a Bubble Barrier in the Porto region, The Great Bubble Barrier will be able to tackle the problem close to the source. At the same time, the system aims to build awareness among both residents and visitors about the issue of plastic pollution, making the impact of the project bigger than just regional.
The Bubble Barrier is an innovative and proven technology that creates a bubble curtain by pumping air through a perforated tube on the bottom of the waterway. The diagonal placement of the barrier directs waste to the river banks which is then collected and removed. A first project was implemented in Amsterdam in 2019 and it is currently operational.
Credits The Great Bubble Barrier
Photo du projet réalisé aux Pays Bas
ENGIE Foundation is proud to support innovation, environment and local action with the implementation of the new Bubble Barrier and to join efforts to fight against plastic pollution in Portugal.
The ENGIE Foundation is strengthening its commitment to biodiversity and environmental protection through this first project in Portugal.
In Portugal, the ENGIE group has positioned itself on the development of renewable energies, through its subsidiaries, to contribute to countries carbon neutrality.
About The Great Bubble Barrier :
Founded in 2017 by 4 individuals, The Great Bubble Barrier is a social enterprise which developed an effective technology to stop plastic pollution in rivers using bubbles.
For more information visit: www.thegreatbubblebarrier.com
About the Technology:
Bubble Barriers bring waste to the surface of a river, where the diagonal placement directs waste to the river banks which is then collected and removed.
Bubble Barriers catch plastic over the full width and depth of a river and prevents plastic from ending up in the ocean without blocking ship traffic or hindering fish migration.
The 1st long term Bubble Barrier was installed in the canals of Amsterdam in November 2019 and more cities in the Netherlands and over the world are reaching out to implement this solution in their rivers.
Caring for life and our planet is what has driven the ENGIE Foundation for almost 30 years. With 33%% of its projects dedicated to access to renewable and sustainable energy and to biodiversity in 2021, the ENGIE Foundation is committed year after year to the environment. The purpose is to participate in ambitious, impactful projects and participate in the collective effort of the 2030 Agenda through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To preserve the environment, it is essential to favor clean energy sources … and to make citizens aware of environmental issues.