Estimates show that “if we were to [install washing machine filters in] every household in the city of Los Angeles… we could prevent up to 468 trillion microfibers from entering wastewater every single year. That’s the weight of over 5.5 million t-shirts,” said Dr. Baechler in her testimony.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Dr. Britta Baechler, Associate Director of Ocean Plastics Research for Ocean Conservancy and a scientist who has studied the impacts of microplastic pollution on animals along the Pacific coast, will testify at a hearing today, at 1:30PM PST before the California state Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials in support of Assembly Bill 1628. This bill would require manufacturers to include microfiber filters on all new washing machines sold by 2029 to prevent microfiber pollution from entering the environment, including ocean, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.

Each year, it has been estimated that approximately 6.5 million metric tons of microfibers are released into the environment globally. Studies have found that microfibers are the most common microplastics in environmental samples and in some studies, represent over 90% of microplastics taken in by marine wildlife. In animals, ingestion of microfibers has been shown to reduce food consumption, reduce energy for growth, alter gene expression, and block digestive tracts. Bacteria and pathogens can also be found on the surface of microplastics, and when swallowed or inhaled by animals and humans have the potential to spread disease.

In her testimony, Dr. Baechler wrote, “In California, microfibers have been found in marine sediment, surface water, snow in the Sierras, and many species of wildlife, like anchovies and Murres… We simply cannot continue to generate microfiber pollution at the current rate. Our health, our children’s health, and the health of our environment are at risk.”

Dr. Baechler has studied plastic pollution for over seven years. While completing her PhD at Portland State University, she led research on microplastics in shellfish in Oregon and Washington, finding microplastics at every site she studied. More than 99% of the microplastics found in the animals were microfibers.

California has been a leader in tackling the ocean plastic pollution problem. Last year, the state passed the single strongest plastics legislation ever seen in the United States. In 2019 alone, more than 70,000 Californians cleaned 1.2 million pounds of plastic pollution and other trash from beaches and waterways as part of California’s annual Coastal Cleanup Day.

Ocean Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, and 5 Gyres Institute are co-sponsors of the bill which is also supported by over 40 environmental groups and nearly 30 scientists.

Dr. Baechler’s full written testimony can be found HERE.

A fact sheet on microfibers can be found HERE.

More information on the hearing can be found HERE and the livestream will be available starting at 1:30pm PST on March 28th, 2023.

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About Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit https://oceanconservancy.org/, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.