Approximately 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year, mainly in the form of microfibers. Here are some simple tips for reducing microfiber pollution at home.
Scientists estimate that over 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. While we have all seen our share of bottles, bags, and straws, one major source of plastic pollution is less obvious: our clothes.
The majority of clothing on the planet is made from plastic-based materials like polyester, rayon, nylon, and acrylic. When washed, synthetic clothing sheds tiny plastic fragments known as microfibers. Microfibers are the most prevalent type of microplastic (plastic pieces less than 5 mm in diameter) found in the environment.
Researchers have found microfibers in a diverse range of land and aquatic ecosystems, from shorelines and the seafloor to remote areas in U.S. national parks, and even in snow in the Alps and the Arctic. Once in the environment, microfibers are extremely difficult to clean up. For this reason, it is critical to prevent this type of pollution from entering the environment in the first place.
What is being done to stop microfiber pollution?
We are only beginning to understand the impacts that microfiber pollution may have on the environment and on humans. Microfibers can harm the small aquatic organisms that ingest them. Microfibers can also contain toxic chemicals that are intentionally added to textiles during the manufacturing process or that accumulate on plastic particles in the ocean.
Though scientific research has made it clear that humans are exposed to microplastics through the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe, we do not yet know what effects microplastics might have on our health. More research is needed to better understand the full set of risks posed by this pollutant.
As we learn more about the pervasiveness of microfibers in habitats and species around the world, concern about microfiber pollution is growing. Recognizing the magnitude of this problem, universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies, and governments are working to find solutions.
Companies in the apparel industry have teamed up with NGOs and academics to conduct research and testing that can help textile manufacturers and apparel companies produce garments that minimize microfiber shedding. The degree to which a garment sheds microfibers in the wash depends on a wide variety of factors, including the garment’s age, construction, material type, and chemical finish. The complex nature of textile production makes research on microfiber shedding especially challenging.
How you can help reduce microfiber pollution
While these efforts are important, it will likely take many years before research on microfiber shedding can lead to large-scale changes in the global production of textiles. With more and more microfibers accumulating in our waterways each day, one of the best solutions may be trapping them before they leave the household.
Here are some simple steps you can take to help reduce the number of microfibers that flow from your washing machine to local waterways:
- Wash clothing less often. This is perhaps the simplest and most effective method for reducing microfiber pollution.
- Only wash full loads of laundry. This results in less friction between clothes and reduces the shedding of synthetic fibers.
- Wash laundry with cold water for a shorter period of time. A recent study by Northumbria University and Procter & Gamble found that switching to a colder and shorter cycle can dramatically reduce microfiber shedding.
- If possible, use a front-loading washer. A 2016 study by the University of California, Santa Barbara showed that top-load washing machines produced significantly more microfibers than front-loading machines.
- Install an external microfiber filter on your washing machine and/or use a microfiber-catching laundry ball or bag. Dispose of the captured microfibers in the trash. There are several commercially available external lint filters to choose from. There are also more affordable products like wash bags and laundry balls designed to capture microfibers.
We are only beginning to understand the scale, sources, and risks of microfiber pollution. However, we know enough to start addressing the problem now, starting with our home laundry. By making these relatively simple changes, we can do a lot to reduce the flow of plastic into the environment.
