Microplastic pollution from laundry

[GFFord]

I've been reading about the harm that synthetic clothing is doing to oceans (around 250000 microfibres released from a load of washing apparently), and different solutions to reducing this. I've seen things about laundry balls to collect the fibres and mesh bags to prevent this, think this could be effective. Has anyone else thought about this or have any advice on ways to reduce this, other than getting rid of polyester and Spandex altogether?

Ive got one of the balls and the mesh bags.
The ball is ok, not sure how much it helps though
and I've also got the mesh bag. The issue i have with the mesh bag is it traps everything, so if you have some fluff or hair it keeps it in and spreads it across all your washing. Sometimes you want the bits washed off and collected by your washing machine filter. So nothing really feels that clean.

I know theres an MP strongly pushing for washing machines to filter them, which I'm hugely in favour of. They do need to make sure they are accessible as presumably they will need cleaning more - unlike current filters which are just a leaky pain to empty

I worry about. I don't like the thought of drinking microplastics as they work their way through the water system.
I think you can buy filters which attach to the washing machine water outpipe?? These filter something like 90% of them. I think eventually they will be mandatory on new machines. I need to read more.
Also the plastic scourers we use to wash up that disintegrate with use. They too add to microplastic pollution.

I drive myself mad worrying about plastic and its effect on the environment. We can all do our individual best but the truth is that it will take an ALMIGHTY joint effort at world government level to make any significant impact and I just don't see that happening

I think water filtration plants filter quite a lot out but the the smallest microplastics enter oceans, damaging fish and plankton. Cotton clothing is fine as it's mainly natural, but artificial fabrics are the biggest issue.

Glitter and nail varnish also contribute, biodegradable glitter is apparently just as bad 😞

I think you've answered your own question.

Wear natural fabrics, cotton, linen, and wool; better for you, better for the environment.

I used to worry about this soo much. I bought a guppy bag to wash synthetics in but tbh I find it all so depressing I sort of just had to walk away from thinking about it as it was making me anxious.

The tipping point for me seeing a woman on an eco group panicking about how to dispose of two quality fleece jumpers because she didn't want to charity shop then as it would mean they would be worn and washed. As long as we are producing the insane fast fashion quantities of these synthetic fibres there really isn't much hope. Anything that is produced is going to have to go somewhere.

I tend to buy most clothes second hand and no one can accuse me of being too quick to launder anything

The amount of people I've seen online who wash pyjamas every night and bedding more than once a week is alarming.

The amount of microfibre cloths for sale in every supermarket/ bargain home store along the high street makes me feel very gloomy. I still use and wash the ones I own but I won't buy more. I don't really feel like not using them is going to have a big enough impact tbh. We need to stop producing this stuff.

I was thinking about this today as a lot of shops seem to be marketing clothes made of recycled synthetic fabrics as “responsible” purchases. Fine, it’s perhaps saving clothes from ending up in landfill but they’ll still be shedding into the water supply

@suzyscat

I used to worry about this soo much. I bought a guppy bag to wash synthetics in but tbh I find it all so depressing I sort of just had to walk away from thinking about it as it was making me anxious.

The tipping point for me seeing a woman on an eco group panicking about how to dispose of two quality fleece jumpers because she didn't want to charity shop then as it would mean they would be worn and washed. As long as we are producing the insane fast fashion quantities of these synthetic fibres there really isn't much hope. Anything that is produced is going to have to go somewhere.

I tend to buy most clothes second hand and no one can accuse me of being too quick to launder anything

The amount of people I've seen online who wash pyjamas every night and bedding more than once a week is alarming.

The amount of microfibre cloths for sale in every supermarket/ bargain home store along the high street makes me feel very gloomy. I still use and wash the ones I own but I won't buy more. I don't really feel like not using them is going to have a big enough impact tbh. We need to stop producing this stuff.

I agree. It’s like the car thing. The greenest car is the one you already own. Yes, when you change it, that’s different.

I ordered a nightie from Avon and the picture and details didn't mention that it had a glitter design to the fabric. The glitter actually came off when I unpacked it and that would go straight into the water system when washed.... back it went to Avon!

Companies need to stop making this polluting crap NOW and washing machines need to have a filter fitted NOW, not in however many years time. (Sorry having a horrendous day!)

It's single use plastics that annoy me too. Realised that most supermarkets now offer recycling of soft plastic and basically any plastics and nets you can't recycle at home, but there's been hardly any notice given to the public! Tesco just has a trolley you add it to at the front of stores and co op has bins for it, but most other shops don't properly advertise it, even though they claim to offer the service?

This is of no use in the discussions on microplastics, but anyway:
My father was a laboratory chemist in the 1950s when lots of things in the kitchen were being replaced by plastic versions. He was very happy about this. He thought wood was bad because it was absorbent and couldn't be cleaned properly. How things change.