Waterless washing machine is a world first
Nathan Wrench, programme manager at Cambridge Consultants.
CAMBRIDGE Consultants have developed the world's first virtually waterless washing machine.
Working with client, cleaning company Xeros, CC have come up with a prototype which saves 90% of current washing machine water usage and cuts carbon emissions.
The water is replaced by reusable nylon polymer beads which can clean the clothes faster, using 30% less energy and just a drop of detergent.
The savings go on, as less electricity is needed to dry the laundry because it has hardly got wet.
The discovery that certain types of polymer beads could be used as a cleaning agent was made by Prof Stephen Burkinshaw of Leeds University.
The idea was there, but there were hurdles to overcome, which was why CC were asked to join the party, turn the idea into a commercial product, and along the way work out how to remove the beads from each load at the end of the cycle.
The "green" advantages of this new method of doing the laundry would, in the UK alone, be the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road.
"While we are still at a relatively early stage of this development, we have demonstrated it is possible to develop a commercially viable washing machine.
"We are really excited about the potential this technology has to reduce the environmental impact of washing."
Xeros aims to have the new washing machine on the market by the end of next year, initially aiming at hotels and care homes and other commercial operators; the technology will in due course be licensed to domestic machine manufacturers.
The global market for laundry products is set to reach $50bn next year.