Fresh Works: Hybrid Hydro-cyclonic Filtration System, reducing washing machine microfibre pollution

一台典型的家用洗衣机负载将产生大约70万根微小的微纤维，这些微纤维沿着洗涤和漂洗水排出。这些纤维太小，无法在传统的水循环处理厂过滤，最终被排放到河流中，最终进入海洋。每天数百万次洗涤的累积影响是，洗衣机每年向海洋环境排放约50万吨塑料。这些纤维和颗粒被认为对环境造成持久损害;被微生物误认为食物而摄入，为最终进入水循环和食物链的工业毒素提供有效的运输机制。Fresh Works Ltd通过该项目，该项目旨在研究、开发和提供一种新型的微纤维过滤装置，适用于洗衣机和纺织加工设备，以及其他工业应用。该项目将在专利技术的基础上，开发所需的技术，以大幅减少进入海洋环境的微纤维量。

A typical domestic washing machine load will generate around 700,000 tiny microfibres that are discharged along with the wash and rinse water. These fibres are too small to be filtered at conventional water recycling treatment plants and end up being discharged into rivers and ultimately the sea. The cumulative effect of millions of washes each day is that washing machines discharge an estimated 0.5 million tonnes of plastic into the marine environment each year.These fibres and particles are recognised as doing lasting damage to the environment; ingested by microorganisms who mistake them for food, providing an effective transport mechanism for industrial toxins which end up in the aqua cycle and food chain.Fresh Works Ltd through this project, seeks to research, develop and deliver a novel microfibre filtration unit suitable for fitting to washing machines and textile processing equipment, as well as having other industrial applications.Building upon patented technology, this project will develop the technology required to dramatically reduce the volume of microfibres entering the marine environment.