Cornish company wins top environmental award

Cleaner Seas says its filter stops up to 90% of synthetic microfibres from washing machines, entering the oceans

A Cornish start-up company has won an environmental prize for helping to reduce plastic released into the sea.

Bude's Cleaner Seas Group (CSG) won the Green-Tech Ocean Impact award for its Indi home microfibre filter.

The device fits to domestic washing machines and captures microplastics released during the wash.

CSG said if every household in the UK used its filter, it would stop the equivalent of 1.3 billion plastic bags entering the oceans.

The $50,000 AUD (£26,000) prize was secured at the international Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2023 Awards in Australia.

CSG's CEO, Dave Miller, said staff at the company had a personal connection to the ocean.

"We are surfers, kayakers and wild swimmers, and we feel passionately about keeping the oceans free of microplastics.

"Recognition by an international award of this gravitas can only support our business development further."