Arçelik
washing machines keep plastic microfibers from entering the ocean
The company, Arçelik, sells its products in 146 countries and owns 12 major home appliance brands (one of which, Beko, is the second bestselling in its market in Europe). Starting next year, Arçelik will release washing machines with built-in filtration systems that prevent synthetic microfibers from escaping into city sewers. Currently, more than 1 million microplastic fibers make their way from drains to oceans per laundry load. Arçelik’s new washing machines contain multilayered filters behind the detergent compartment. When water gets pushed out through the filter at the end of the cycle, 90% of microplastic fibers get caught in the filter and don’t make it out of the machines.