Plastics recycling facility launched in Cornwall to process microfibres from laundry

A “WORLD-FIRST” recycling centre has been launched in Cornwall, UK which will recycle plastics extracted from up to 86 t/y of microfibres captured in washing machines.

Cornwall-based Cleaner Seas Group announced last month the launch of its Microfibre Filter Hub, Microplastic Recycling Lab, and Return and Recycle Centre in the coastal town of Bude. The company already produces washing machine filters that extract plastic-containing microfibres from laundry before they enter the watercourse. The new facility will use a closed-loop recycling system to extract plastics from microfibres, which also contain cotton and other materials, and turn them into new materials such as construction components, packaging and battery materials.

Microplastics – defined as plastics 5 mm or less in diameter – have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their environmental harm, potential health risks and global prevalence. The Marine Conservation Society estimates that around 1m t of microplastics pollute the ocean every year, with synthetic textiles being one of the seven major sources. Addressing microplastics through wastewater treatment is considered one of the most effective ways to reduce pollution. France became the first country to legislate mandatory filters in all new washing machines, a requirement that took effect in January. An equivalent law is set to come into effect in Australia from 2030, while a similar bill is currently making its way through the UK parliament.

Cleaner Seas Group says that laundry sheds up to 700,000 microfibres each time a washing machine is used. The company’s laundry filters are already being deployed at scale, with a deal announced in March to retrofit washing machines on five TUI cruise ships starting in September. Clean Seas and TUI expect the filters to capture 500 kg/y of microfibres. The deal followed a six-month trial which reported the filters were able to capture 99% of microfibres down to a size of 1 micron.

Dave Miller, CEO of Cleaner Seas Group, said: “Microplastic pollution is a global crisis hiding in plain sight. It’s in our oceans, our food, our brains and our bloodstreams.

“This new facility isn’t just about filtration or recycling – it’s about completely shifting the way we deal with waste and sustainable materials. We’ve built a system that stops microplastics before they enter our waterways and transforms them into materials with real value. That’s a genuine circular economy in action – not theory, not greenwash, but something tangible, scalable and right here in Cornwall. It shows you don’t have to choose between protecting the planet and building a commercially viable business.”

The facility has received £927,675 (US$1.3m) from Cornwall Council as part of the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.