Microplastics are a global problem, but three Case Western Reserve University engineering alumni have created a new device to tackle a major source of this pollution.
Max Pennington, along with Sigma Chi fraternity brothers David Dillman and Chip Miller, helped develop a washing machine filtration system called CLEANR that can remove over 90% of microplastic particles before they leave the washing machine and enter the environment, the New York Post reported.
The device was introduced in 2023 at the IFA Berlin appliance industry conference, where the company first showcased its VORTX filtration design that was inspired by the natural filtration system of fish gills.
That core technology employs a novel vortex filtration process that CLEANR says is 300% more efficient than other traditional filters.
The Shaw Institute, a nonprofit science research organization, put the company’s claims to the test and officially certified that it’s over 90% efficient at removing microplastic particles as small as 50 microns from washing machine wastewater.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have worked with CLEANR as part of our new program to validate innovative technology designed to greatly reduce plastic pollution,” said Dr. Charlie Rolsky, executive director of the Shaw Institute, in a press release.
“Microplastics are a major threat to human and environmental health. Therefore, finding solutions to reduce pathways of exposure to them is critical.”
Around 16% to 35% of microplastics in the environment originated from synthetic textiles, according to the European Environment Agency, with the majority of them being released during the first few washes.
Over 12 million tons of these particles enter the oceans each year on top of the 220 million tons that already flow through marine environments, per the United Nations Foundation.
Microplastics have even been discovered in remote ecosystems and are permeating our bodies, posing a massive threat to the environment and our health.
