A Cornish business has raised almost £1m to develop a washing machine filter which could help tackle harmful levels of microplastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
The Cleaner Seas Group (CSG) said it had designed a self-generated device, which can be fitted or built into every type of washing machine, and can stop up to 700,000 microfibres being released into the environment with every wash cycle.
The Bude-based firm said an estimated 1.4 million trillion plastic microfibers have made their way into global seas, with research increasingly showing not only an impact on marine life but also on humans, as plastic infiltrates our food systems.
CSG said its latest investment, raised from a mix of business angels, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, had exceeded its initial target of £700,000.
Off the back of it, the company has now launched a crowdfunding campaign seeking to raise a further £460,000, while it has also announced a new senior hire as it moves to its next period of growth.
Warehouse and fulfilment boss Jeremy Skelton, who formerly worked at department store Harrods, has joined as operations manager, having initially invested in the business.
CSG has forecast revenues of around £1.3m for this year, and has said these could rise “substantially” to more than £45m by 2025 due to growing environmental concern among consumers and action taken by the international community aimed at reducing microplastics pollution.
Chief executive Dave Miller said: “We’re very excited with the success of our last investment round and we hope to carry this momentum forward in our current crowd-funding campaign.
“There’s been immense public support for our product which helps address the unprecedented level of microplastics in our oceans, an issue that impacts on all of us. Through this crowd-fund we are giving people an opportunity to invest in our innovative system, which has a 90% plus capture rate removing plastic waste particles as small as one micron from a washing cycle.”
Mr Miller added the group was “delighted” with the appointment of the “highly experienced” Mr Skelton.
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