A ground breaking research initiative led by Professor Katie Laird, Dr. Ray Allen and Professor Katherine Huddersman has secured over £500,000 through the BBSRC-funded NBIC Collaborative Training Partnership scheme, in collaboration with the Textile Services Association. The project will investigate biofilms in industrial healthcare, pharmaceutical, and hospitality laundries, assessing their impact on infection control, antibiotic resistance, wastewater, and the environment.
As the industrial laundry sector strives to enhance its environmental credentials, particularly through initiatives like the Climate Change Agreement scheme it faces significant microbiological challenges. Efforts to reduce carbon emissions will lead to lower wash temperatures and increased reliance on chemical disinfectants to maintain microbiological safety. To support the UK industrial laundry sector in meeting its environmental targets while ensuring hygiene standards, in situ and lab-based laundering models will be established to study biofilm formation, antimicrobial resistance, and effective biofilm-removal strategies within the laundry sector. The societal impact of this project is a central focus with the UK industrial laundry sector providing approximately 2 million laundered scrubs/drapes a week and 1.5 million bedsheets to over 1,000 hospitals across the UK.