Washing Machines Are Going Green.

The average washing machine uses just over 15 gallons of water to get your clothes clean. Researchers at the University at Leeds have developed a new washing machine they claim will wash your clothes using less than 2 percent of the water and energy of a conventional machine, roughly one cup of water.

The nearly waterless washing is accomplished by the use of a cartridge in the machine that stores and drops in plastic chips that mix with the water and detergent. The water then dissolves the stains and dirt, and the chips absorb the dirt. When the load is nears the end of its cycle, a grill at the bottom of the washing machine collects the plastic and your clothes are clean and virtually dry, reducing the expense and energy use of drying the clothes in an electric or gas dryer. The chips will last 100 loads or about six months of use for the average family

The spin-off company Xeros Ltd. has plans to market the new technology and recently secured an investment of just under a million dollars in financing to bring the new washer to consumers.

The environmental benefits of the new washer technology could have a major impact if the machine is widely accepted and adopted in the marketplace. The scientific and educational think-tank American Water Works Association estimates that close to 22 percent of American water usage can be chalked up to washing machines. We use about 1 point 2 billion gallons a day just to wash our clothes in the US, cut that by 98 percent and the amount of water savings alone is staggering. And that's before you add energy consumption, chemical use and drying time to the environmental and energy equation.

With the rising costs of energy, conservation and the political correctness of the "green revolution" the announcement of the new washing technology couldn't have come at a better time for the University at Leeds spin-off company. Everything from organic foods to environmentally friendly paints are gaining popularity and market acceptance. Xeros Ltd plans to initially introduce the new washer to the marketplace in Great Britton as early as next year. The potential revenues for Xeros are considerable. There are more than two million washing machines sold in the UK alone every year, with a market assessment of about one billion Pounds, or about one point nine billion dollars.

University of Leeds "Virtually waterless washing machine heralds cleaning revolution"
Xeros Ltd "xerosltd.com"
IP Group plc Media Center "Xeros Ltd - Environmentally friendly washing firm raises finance"
American Water Works Association "Water Use Statistics"