A GREEN technology company has today launched a significant investment round to help in tackling microplastics pollution in the ocean.
Cleaner Seas Group are aiming to raise £1m through a private investment and crowdfunding campaign.
The Cornwall-based company are creators of a retro-fit and integrated filter that fits all washing machines, capturing and recycling microfibres as small as one micron.
The system consists of a self-powered filter that requires no mains power and a recyclable cartridge which captures up to 700,000 harmful microfibres each time a washing machine is used, preventing them from being released into the environment.
With an estimated 1.4 million trillion microfibres in our oceans, microplastic pollution is one of the biggest unregulated environmental issues facing the planet.
Microplastic’s impact on marine life has been well-documented – plankton have long been consuming microfibres which can contain cancer-causing chemicals that are now being found within our food chain.
Earlier this year microplastics were discovered for the first time in human blood and lungs, raising concerns about their direct impact on human health and wellbeing.
Cleaner Seas Group will launch its microfibre filtration system via distributors and directly to UK consumers later this summer.
The team is also in a second round of testing with a global washing machine manufacturer, focused on supplying the technology within new models.
The company is forecasting its initial projected revenues of around £1.3m this year to rise to more than £45m by 2025 on the back of growing consumer demand and action by the international community aimed at reducing microplastics pollution.
France has introduced legislation for mandatory filters to be fitted on all new washing machines by 2025 while a new Bill requiring similar measures within the UK is currently progressing through Westminster.
The company’s founders include its CEO Dave Miller; James Sirmon, Chief Technical Officer; Avril Greenaway, Chief Marketing Officer; and Graham Skelton, Chief Commercial Officer.
The company’s investment round will go towards building manufacturing capacity and bolstering the team to support global growth of the business.
Cleaner Seas CEO Dave Miller said: “We founded our business on the urgent need to address the unprecedented level of microplastics in our oceans and have developed innovative and easy-to-use technology that will make a huge impact in this quest.
“Our microfibre filtration system has a 90% plus capture rate removing plastic waste particles as small as one micron from a washing cycle, preventing these from escaping into our environment where they are having such a grave impact.
“With a growing movement that includes consumers, goods manufacturers and governments wanting to address the impact of microplastic pollution, our offering provides an ideal and affordable solution.
“Our innovation enables anyone, from a small household to the head of a global company, to play a part in reducing the level of microfibres in our oceans.”
