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Best Practice
Clean Water And Sanitation
Life Below Water
Partnerships For The Goals
Katwijk faces the pressing environmental challenge of escalating plastic pollution along its beaches and coastal waters, demanding a sustainable, long-term solution. The Coast Busters, a local initiative organising various activities to fight plastic pollution such as beach clean-up and awareness activities in Katwijk, realised the size of the issue of plastic pollution and decided to act. On the look for a long-term solution to this growing problem, they involved the municipality and invited councillor Jacco Knape to see the problem with his own eyes.
Soon after, they gained the backing of the whole region, including the waterboard authority Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland and neighbouring municipalities from Holland Rijnland and the province of Zuid-Holland.
The Oude Rijn holds historical significance as it marked the northern border of the Roman Empire, known as ‘Limes’. Stretching approximately 400 kilometres from Katwijk on the North Sea to Bad Breisig in Rhineland-Palatinate, part of this border was designated a UNESCO World Heritage in 2021.
The Bubble Barrier in Katwijk is located one kilometre from the sea in the Oude Rijn and it is strategically placed to catch as much plastic pollution as possible. This initiative not only addresses the problem locally in Katwijk but also has a broader impact, preventing plastic pollution from affecting the entire upstream region. Bubble Barrier Katwijk is the first Bubble Barrier in a river mouth and the first Bubble Barrier initiated by local residents.
Want to learn more about the lessons learned, financial details and results?
Log inThe Great Bubble Barrier, Coastbusters, Gemeente Katwijk, Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland and Provincie Zuid-Holland
The Great Bubble Barrier
The City and Water Authority