Whirlpool Washed

Spinning Out Microplastics

Apr 08, 2025

∙ Paid

Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and although some of it can be recycled, less than 10% actually is. 🌍

Plastic ends up in our waterways, where it breaks down into microplastics – tiny particles less than 5 mm in length – which then enter our food chain, and eventually, our bodies.

Because of their tiny size, microplastics are difficult to detect and remove from the water, but the German nonprofit ‘Wasser 3.0’ has come up with a simple and elegant solution, using whirlpools.

The process is actually simple:
First, a fluorescent dye is put into a tank of water to detect the tiny particles and make them shine.

After a non-toxic silica clumping gel is added, a whirlpool is created, which acts as a centrifuge, pulling the microplastics together into popcorn-like clumps that can then be easily skimmed off the surface, as well as recycled into new materials. ♻️

The process is affordable and scalable, and as of early 2023, it is already being utilized in wastewater and paper factories in Germany.

Initially, ‘Wasser 3.0’ intends to scale up their whirlpool solution for use in sewage treatment and industrial plants worldwide – stopping pollution at its source, and keeping the world's water free of microplastics. 💧

Whirlpool Washed

Spinning Out Microplastics

Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and although some of it can be recycled, less than 10% actually is. 🌍

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