Invitation: Limes Bubble Barrier in Katwijk

On 12 July 2024, we will visit the Limes Bubble Barrier in Katwijk. This day is organised by NouW as part of the cooperation between the Open University and the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI) as well as the 40th anniversary of the Open University.

Bubble Barrier

A bubble barrier is a bubble screen in a waterway that stops stray plastics. The Limes Bubble Barrier captures plastic that enters the Rhine before it enters the North Sea. The Limes Bubble Barrier is owned by the Rhineland Water Board. Coast Busters Foundation is the initiator, they manage the visitor centre and do the monitoring so that a picture is obtained of numbers, volumes, types and origin of the plastics caught. The Bubble Barrier is developed and supplied by The Great Bubble Barrier.

On this day, you will not only get the chance to see a bubble barrier up close, but also get explanations from the inventors and operators of the Limes Bubble Barrier. Explanations will be given about measuring the amount of plastics carried by rivers, and about existing and developing regulations aimed at reducing litter.

The following experts will each talk about their specialism:

Valérie van Straaten, The Great Bubble Barrier

Valérie has been working at The Great Bubble Barrier since the beginning of this year and is ready to throw herself into its global expansion. She obtained her master's degree in Environment and Resource Management and has extensive expertise in market research, business development and stakeholder analysis. She will give a lecture on how the Bubble Barrier works and its contribution to the environment and society.

Claar-els van Delft, Coast Busters Foundation

Claar-els is co-founder and president of Coast Busters Foundation, they develop and support initiatives to combat plastic pollution. In particular, they facilitate projects in the region in which citizens, entrepreneurs and governments work together, contributing to a reduction of the waste problem, in particular (plastic) litter. Claar-els has been involved as project manager in the realisation of the Limes Bubble Barrier at the mouth of the Rhine in Katwijk. Among other things, she will talk about the purpose and realisation of the barrier, monitoring and lessons learned.

Winnie de Winter, North Sea Foundation

Winnie de Winter is project leader and researcher Clean Sea at the North Sea Foundation. She has been involved in the Clean Rivers Project, which looked at how to measure plastics flowing with the water in our rivers. How much plastic, numbers, volumes, types and origins, comes through our rivers and how do you measure it? In this, Winnie has collaborated with Tim van Emmerik's WUR group, among others. She will talk about this research, among other things, on this day.

Chloé Taillandier, Open University

Chloé is a PhD student at the Open University, researching sustainability-related phenomena at the boundary of science, policy and society. Chloé will talk about the regulations surrounding plastics. Which legislation is currently in place, and which is under development. Which stakeholders play a role in this, and what are the roles of the UN and the EU?

Programme

10:15 - 10:30 Welcome with tea and coffee

10:30 - 10:35 Opening

10:35 - 11:00 Valérie van Straaten

11:00 - 12:00 hour Claar-els van Delft

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch

12:00 - 12:25 Visit bubble barrier first group

12:30 - 12:55 hrs Visit bubble barrier second group

13:00 - 14:00 hour Winnie de Winter

14:00 - 15:00 hours Chloé Taillandier

15:00 - 15:30 hrs Discussion between the speakers

15:30 - 16:15 Closing with a snack and drink

Address

We are this day's guests at Coast Busters Foundation

The Old Red Barn ("Baron van Kattendijke")

Rijnmond 200

2225 VZ Katwijk aan Zee

Parking is available at Noordduinen car park

Sign up

NouW, the Open University's environmental sciences study association, invites not only its own members but also members of KIVI and AVOU to this 40th anniversary meeting. The number of places is limited, so sign up quickly, but at least before 23 June 2024. Once you have been awarded a place, you will receive confirmation of this by 1 July 2024. Sign up at secretaris@nouw.nl with the subject Limes Bubble Barrier.