HOME Co-LAb

HOME Co-LAb is a three year (2021-2024) innovative citizen science project looking at the presence of airborne microplastics in people's homes. The project, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), uses two different experiments to measure the tiny plastic fibres that are given off by clothes and other materials, and are present around us every day.

Citizens will place passive samplers in their homes, using low-cost microscopes to see and take pictures of their samples. They will then use machine vision approaches to characterise their own samples by size/shape/colour etc, at home. The research team will also undertake confirmatory analyses so citizens can see what types of plastic (if any) are present in their samples, allowing the team to build an understanding of airborne microplastic generation at home.

The project is led by UWE Bristol's Air Quality Management Resource Centre, with the University of Leeds.

SCU staff on the project include Dr Margarida Sardo, who will be leading on the evaluation.