A business has raised almost £1m to develop a washing machine filter which could help tackle harmful levels of microplastic pollution in the world’s oceans.

The Cleaner Seas Group (CSG) said it had designed a self-generated device, which can be fitted or built into every type of washing machine, and can stop up to 700,000 microfibres being released into the environment with every wash cycleBude-based firm said an estimated 1.4 million trillion plastic microfibers have made their way into global seas, with research increasingly showing not only an impact on marine life but also on humans, as plastic infiltrates our food systems.

CSG said its latest investment, raised from a mix of business angels, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, had exceeded its initial target of £700,000.

Off the back of it, the company has now launched a crowdfunding campaign seeking to raise a further £460,000, while it has also announced a new senior hire as it moves to its next period of growth.