Lansing is preparing to launch the first Bubble Barrier in the U.S., an emerging technology that uses a stream of air bubbles to push plastic out of the Grand River before it enters the Great Lakes.

Erik Petrovskis, Meijer’s Director of Environmental Compliance & Sustainability, spoke with WILX-TV 10 about the pilot and the growing public–private partnership behind it.

Watch the interview: https://www.wilx.com/2025/10/21/lansing-test-first-of-its-kind-bubble-barrier-clean-grand-river/

The MSU Water Alliance is helping lead the pilot and will support research and evaluation once the system is installed. The project represents a major step toward preventing plastic waste in Michigan’s waterways and strengthening the state’s role in freshwater innovation.