Washing machine filter that reduces microplastics

Heard about microplastics in the news and not sure what you can do about it? 

Or

Saves you money by reducing the probability of hair and lint clogging up your plumbing, sewer or septic systems (which are typically expensive, messy and a headache to deal with!)

At Organic Lifestyle, we're very concerned about both these issues and found a Made in Canada solution to address both.

Per the Walrus article, How our clothing poisons the environment, we learned about an engineer in Nova Scotia who had invented a solution - a wall mounted, reusable filter that keeps lint, hair, and microplastic out of your plumbing.

Did you know?

• A research study found that laundering an average washing load of 6 kg could release an estimated 137,951 fibers from polyester-cotton blend fabric, 496,030 fibers from polyester and 728,789 from acrylic
• Average fiber size ranges from 5 - 7.8mm in length (and this washing machine filters out anything bigger than 1.6 mm!)
• Another study found the filter reduced microplastics by 65% from washing machine discharge water. 

According to an internal survey, while the Cora ball is simpler to use & implement, it perhaps reduces microplastics by 26% (better than nothing but this filter is 65% more efficient)

How does this washing machine filter work?

• Reusable stainless steel screen captures and removes lint and untreatable synthetic solids from washing machine discharge
• Connect the OUT washing machine pipe INTO the filter
• Discharge passes through the filter to the outlet port, leaving behind lint on the outside of the screen

Options

• Option A: Bracket mount approx 16 – 18" above the washing machine, under a shelf or cabinet
• Option B: Select Wall mounted which includes the Angle bracket (part numbers 13-17) if you don't have a shelf or cabinet near washing machine that you can attach base of filter to. See page 3 of Detailed Installation Guide

FAQ: "We were however a bit surprised to see how big the mesh-size is -  this one seems to be able to catch only quite large fragments... any comment on that?"

Mesh size is 1580 micron or 1/16 inch. Initially is captures about 65% of the fibers. As fibers collect on the screen a dynamic filtering action takes place and the efficiency increases to 100% as the filter is completely saturated with lint.

The lint on the screen will act as a filter and captures other micro particles.

Benefits

• Has been sold in the market for past 12 years
• No awkward hose connections
• The top will never pop off or leak
• No moving parts
• Larger filter means less frequent cleaning
• Easy 1/8th turn to access filter makes cleaning fast & simple
• Compact design & aluminum bracket kit allow for mounting virtually anywhere OR Wall mount kit
• Reusable filter + No maintenance costs = Best value on the market
• No bypass – Designed to handle any increase in pressure and will never let lint into your septic system, even if you forget to clean it
• 5-year replacement guarantee on the filter housing  
• Lifetime guarantee on screen  
• The installation is quick and straightforward
• Promoted by Clean Nova Scotia and recommended by Nova Scotia Department of the Environment

Cleaning Instructions

• Once the filter bowl is visually obstructed by lint, it's time for cleaning
• With a household of four, cleaning is necessary about once every 3 weeks 

General Assembly Instructions

• Made of stainless steel mesh with hole diameters of 0.0625 inches (or 1587.5 microns)
• Backpressure is less than 5 lbs per square inch after a month of average usage (household of four)
• Filter action is dynamic, meaning that as the filter collects lint, it becomes more efficient. The trapped lint acts as a filter itself
• 1-inch diameter with hose barb connections

See Frequently Asked Questions like how to install for washing machine / as a pre-filter for my water pipe / more video instructions

Ocean Plastic Pollution

As you may know, ocean plastic pollution is a significant problem. And now, scientists are turning their attention to the tiniest of plastic particles that aren't necessarily visible to the naked eye. Microplastics are found in oceans, lakes, and rivers around the world. According to a paper published in 2011, microfibres make up 85% of human-made debris on shorelines around the world. Microfibres were even discovered in bottled water - including water bottled in glass. 

The human health impact is still unknown, but the risks are concerning. Scientists have found that they are already having a negative impact on aquatic life.  According to a National Geographic article, “Oysters that consume microplastics eat more algae and absorb it more efficiently…[their] ability to reproduce is almost halved... What is the seriousness of such health implications? Filter-feeding organisms are vital components of marine food webs, and their demise could mean severe threats to numerous trophic levels, and perhaps to the humans who rely on these species as a source of food." The ocean life balance is integral to our survival, so even changes to seemingly insignificant creatures like oysters can snowball.

Installing a filter on your washing machine is a simple way you can help reduce the impact of your synthetic fabrics on the environment and your health. 

"Wow, I can't believe the amount of lint your filter removes.  And removal and cleaning is a snap. A quality engineered product."

"I received the Lint LUV-R washing machine filter kit with the wall mount in the mail the other day. I installed it over the weekend, and it works perfectly. I was impressed with the completeness of the kit and quality of the product. Usually, when it comes to plumbing I need to make at least one trip to the hardware store to pick up some fitting or miscellaneous item, but your kit came with everything I needed – no extra trips necessary. As quality goes, I can already tell that your product is something that will work well for a number of years to come. You provide a truly exceptional product; keep up the outstanding work. "

"I have five pets and then there are the humans. I wash at least a load of laundry a day. After spending $400 in plumbing fees, I stumbled upon, ordered and installed your product. After only two washer loads, the filter was astonishingly successful and I was pleased to empty and clean the debris. I’m astonished that this product is not required by all front load washing machine manufacturers in the absence of built-in filters, regardless of septic or government waste processing.

 I truly anticipate 20 more years of unclogged pipes"

Made in Canada