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.
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Only once ☝️ CLEANR recently partnered with its founders' alma mater, Case Western Reserve, to outfit 120 on-campus washing machines with its filtration device to help combat microplastic pollution.
For every 100 filters installed, the company says the equivalent of 5,600 credit cards' worth of plastic will be prevented from entering the environment each year.
There's also a CLEANR app that informs users when filters need to be changed, and it only takes 30 seconds to swap them out, making the whole process easy for people looking to make a difference.
While the company is seeking to partner with appliance manufacturers that want to incorporate the tech in their machines, consumers can buy an easy-to-install unit online for $299, with the first shipments expected in July 2025.
France recently began requiring new washing machines to include filters to catch microfibers, while states like California and New Jersey have introduced similar bills, the New York Post noted.
Efforts to address plastic pollution — which could triple by 2060 if trends continue, according to the United Nations Foundation — are needed if we're to keep our environment clean and protect the health of humans and animals alike.
"If we don't act now, and if we don't catch it at the source now, it's going to be too late to make a difference," Pennington told the New York Post.
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