Microplastic Fibers
Microplastic fiber pollution is an invisible threat in nearly every load of laundry
Microplastic fibers, or microfibers, are tiny thread-like pieces of plastic that shed from our clothes as we make, wear and wash them. Nearly 70% of clothing and other textiles are made from synthetic fibers, like polyester, nylon, acrylic and spandex. These are all different types of plastics. When we do laundry, dryer lint traps catch thousands of these fibers, but washing machines have no such filter. A single load of laundry can release up to 18 million microplastic fibers, many of which make their way into our ocean.
The solution already exists
Fortunately, microplastic fiber filters are an easy, cost-effective solution available today. They work much like the lint trap in your dryer, catching up to 90% of microplastic fibers before they become pollution.
We need microplastic fiber filters to be just as common as dryer lint traps. That’s where you come in. Ocean Conservancy’s Not Safe For Wash (NSFW) campaign is pushing for laws that require new washing machines to include microplastic fiber filters, and we need all hands on deck.
Filter Out NSFW Microplastics
FAQs
- What exactly is a microplastic fiber?
- Microplastic fibers, or microfibers, are tiny strands of plastic shed from synthetic clothing like polyester, nylon, acrylic and spandex. They can be 100 times smaller than a human hair, which means you can’t always see them, but trust us—they’re everywhere.
- What’s the difference between microplastic fibers and microplastics?
- As the name suggests, both microplastics and microplastic fibers are incredibly small—from smaller than a lentil all the way down to 1/100th of the diameter of a human hair. Microplastics can be intentionally manufactured to be small, like glitter or plastic beads, or they can be pieces that have broken off larger plastic items such as single-use packaging, paint, or tires. Microfibers are tiny thread-like pieces that shed from our clothes or other textiles as we produce, wash and wear them.
- How do microplastic fibers end up in our ocean?
- When you run a load of laundry, your clothes release microfibers, which travel down the drain into wastewater systems. Although wastewater treatment plants can capture some of these microfibers, many make their way into the environment, either through treated wastewater or when wastewater treatment byproducts (called biosolids) are applied to land as a fertilizer.
- Do microplastic fiber filters actually work?
- Microplastic fiber filters for washing machines can catch up to 90% of microfibers shed. Think of it like a dryer lint trap but for your washing machine: simple, effective and already proven technology.
- What can I do right now?
- External microfiber filters are available to add to your existing washing machine today. You can purchase one and install it at home. And, no matter where you are, you can push for the policy change that makes filters standard on every new machine!
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