To combat the growing issue of plastic pollution in urban waterways, Amsterdam has launched the “Solving the Urban Plastic Soup” initiative. With annual cleanup costs reaching €3.2 million, the city has tested and installed three innovative plastic catchment systems to reduce waste in its inner-city waters. These installed devices support the city of Amsterdam in mitigating negative effects from plastic pollution.
Shoreliner: Targeting Macroplastics in Lakes
Installed in April 2024, the Shoreliner was designed to trap macroplastics (larger than 5 mm) and floating debris near embankments. Using a styrofoam guide wrapped in tarpaulin, the system relied on wind and water currents to direct waste into its trap. However, due to structural challenges in emptying the system, the pilot was discontinued.
CanalCleaner: Floating Arm for Efficient Waste Capture
The second system, the CanalCleaner, was re-installed close to Amsterdam’s central station in 2025. It consists of one big floating arm that directs the floating waste to a cage, which is attached to the quay. The arm extends up to 70 centimeters deep into the water, picking up all the floating plastic. This system can be emptied by boat and, if the pilot is successful, will be kept for the next 10 years.
Bubble Barrier: Innovative Plastic Capture with Air
Earlier, in 2019, a test was already started with the “Bubble Barrier”. This third system is a curtain of bubbles that prevents the plastic from leaking further into rivers and the sea, steering it towards a catchment system. It proved successful, taking out around 200,000 items of plastic litter yearly, especially preventing them from floating to the local IJ river and the North Sea from Amsterdam. Amsterdam is now celebrating the milestone of having taken out 1,000,000 pieces.
Moreover, while bigger plastic pieces can easily be found and collected with the bare eye, this method is very helpful for smaller pieces and bigger plastics (1 mm – 1 meter). Amsterdam is therefore looking into more locations to install Bubble Barriers.
Strategic Placement for Collection and Monitoring
The above-mentioned actions can make a change in the daily removal of 3,500 kilos of waste in Amsterdam’s inner-city waters, amounting to approximately 42,000-58,000 kilos of plastic waste annually. The three systems have delivered loads of plastic litter data. This can help the city in tackling sources such as plastic coming from restaurants, bars, and building sites. The data is available to everyone here.
However, this initiative was not just about litter collection. It is also about monitoring the top 20 most frequently found items and coming up with a strategy on how to prevent those items from recurring.
The three systems can also be compared and validated. Giving cities in the Netherlands and abroad a sort of blueprint on which system has which benefits, if they are scalable, and what the costs of installation are. It also acts as an opportunity to raise awareness among important stakeholders in the city.
For example, the Bubble Barrier can last up to 20 years and is recyclable at the end of its life. With the CanalCleaner, fish can migrate underneath the floating arms. This installation is now in an area without private shipping, ensuring smooth collection and preventing the CanalCleaner from blocking a waterway accessible to boats. It should catch around 70% of the litter in inner-city waters (the other 30% sinks to the bottom).
