PlanetCare Filter: A Break-through Innovation for Microplastics Prevention
The ever-increasing pollution of our oceans with microplastics has become a huge problem and a hazard to our health. A large share of it is produced by doing laundry. A Slovenian start-up PlanetCare has been busy in trying to find a solution to keep the waters clean, or at least – plastic free.
The PlanetCare team has started to search for a solution to prevent (or minimize) the number of microplastics we release into rivers, lakes, and oceans through wastewaters when doing our laundry. With a help of a few enthusiastic friends, they have finally managed to assemble a prototype filter for washing machines that effectively solves the problem. They have named it the PlanetCare filter.
The PlanetCare Filter is a simple, yet efficient filter for removing microfibers from washing machine wastewater. The central part of the system is microfiltration of water based on electrically charged fibers and membrane nano-technology with a self-cleaning function. Built in the washing machine, it enables the stoppage of waste microfiber without the use of chemical agents. The driving force of the procedure is the pressure differential caused by the volumetric flux of permeate through the membrane. All fibers are retained in the filter cartridge which can be sent back to the filter producer to be recycled. With an easy upgrade, these filters can also produce fast results if built into municipal water systems.
In addition, they wish to launch a PlantCare digital platform, to build a strong community of environmentally conscious users and to connect washing machine producers, end users and environment-friendly solutions in fashion and textile industry.
In PlanetCare’s efforts to change the minds of legislation/regulation opinion makers or convince the washing machine producers that change is needed every help is welcome. We will keep you updated with the latest news and help you become an early adopter of the PlanetCare filter – and a savior of the oceans.