New research conducted by Grundig has revealed that nearly half of Brits are taking part in daily activities that are harmful to the environment.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 29 per cent of Brits are in denial when it comes to environmental issues, with a large proportion of society hoping that the problem will simply resolve itself.
In addition to this, Grundig’s research also highlighted a distinct lack of knowledge and awareness related to the causes of microfibre pollution. Whilst 67 per cent of respondents believed microplastics to be a significant issue for the environment, nearly half of those surveyed did not know that the leading source of plastic pollution in the oceans comes from synthetic microfibres shed from clothing.
Overall, 75 per cent of respondents agreed more needs to be done to raise awareness of the hidden dangers of microfibres in our waterways and how the issue can be combated.
It is clear that there is a place for companies to educate their consumers, encouraging them to make small changes to their daily lives that will help protect our planet in the long run. Grundig is helping with this by developing technologies that help users minimise their environmental impact.
Launched in 2021, Grundig’s FiberCatcher washing machine is said to be the world’s first washing machine with an integrated synthetic microfibre filter. Designed to help protect our waterways and oceans, this filters up to 90 per cent of microplastics during synthetic washes, capturing up to 700,000 microplastics in a single wash cycle.
Each microfibre filter is built to last for up to six months, with customers being able to return their filters once full and order a replacement. Whilst the filter is not suitable for traditional mechanical recycling via household collection, Grundig’s partnership with ReNew ELP allows the brand to recycle the filters at a commercial-scale HydroPRS plastic recycling site in North East England, transforming used materials into repurposed plastic.
Teresa Arbuckle, Managing Director of Beko plc and spokesperson for Grundig, commented: “It is important for us as a nation to understand the extent to which our daily activities are having an impact on our planet. Grundig’s brand purpose is to lead by example and inspire people to take small steps towards a better future.
“We are committed to leading the industry forward with the launch of Grundig washing machines with FiberCatcher technology, all with the world’s first integrated synthetic microfibre filtering system, helping minimise synthetic fibre pollution.”
To raise awareness and encourage people to take action, Grundig has partnered with the Marine Conversation Society, a UK charity that is fighting for a cleaner, better protected ocean.
