A pioneering new initiative is tackling ocean pollution while helping battery manufacturers meet upcoming EU battery passport requirements. The project combines advanced filtration technology with innovative recycling processes, creating both environmental and economic benefits.
Grey Waste Water Filtration Across Industries
Laundry operations — from cruise ships, hotels, textile manufacturers and industrial facilities — release huge volumes of synthetic and non synthetic microfibers into grey waste water. Working across all sectors, the project is deploying large-scale filtration systems to capture this pollution before it enters the sea.
Working in partnership with University of Portsmouth, the captured microfibres are analysed using AI and machine learning. This work will produce one of the first datasets to track laundry-related microfibre pollution at scale. The findings will guide future filter design and inform new recycling pathways for cleaner seas worldwide.
Recycling Waste into Advanced EV Materials
Instead of disposing the captured microfibres into landfill , the entire filter medium is processed in the Cleaner Seas Group in-house recycling system.
The University of Surrey are analysing the recyclate to establish how the original fibre recipe influences the performance and quality of advanced battery materials. This breakthrough approach closes the loop on microfibre pollution while reducing the need for virgin materials currently used in the manufacture of batteries.
The ambition is clear: create the first scalable EV battery built on circular economy principles.
Local Impact in Cornwall
The project delivers direct local benefits, including:
- New skilled jobs in Cornwall.
- Broadened workforce capabilities in advanced recycling and clean technology.
- Generate tangible improvements to the local economy.
This model shows how environmental innovation can also power regional regeneration, positioning Cornwall as a hub for green technology and circular economy leadership.
Project Outcomes
The initiative will deliver four clear outcomes:
- Introduce large-scale microfibre filtration systems across multiple high-laundry industries.
- Produce a pioneering dataset on industrial microfibre pollution.
- Create advanced EV battery materials made from recycled microfibre pollution, supporting EU battery passport compliance.
- Job creation and economic growth in Cornwall, fuelled by sustainable waste recycling.
Find out more about Cleaner Seas Group on their website: https://www.cleaner-seas.com/