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[deleted] t1_j7gzazd wrote

It’s really depressing that we’ve created this much plastic waste when clothes were completely biodegradable since literally the dawn of civilization.

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9273629397759992 OP t1_j7gbfgq wrote

Plain language summary:

Researchers at the University of Leeds have discovered that the UK's laundry releases up to 1,500 double-decker buses worth of microfibers into the environment every year. The research team used a test to measure how different materials and washing conditions affect the amount of microfibers released into water. They found that fabric characteristics like yarn type, construction, and fibre type had more influence than washing conditions on how many microfibers were released. The findings suggest that microfibre release is a relatively small problem compared to the fashion industry's waste problem. The research team hopes that their findings will help inform washing machine manufacturers about filtering and give a clearer picture of the scale of the problem.

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fondledbydolphins t1_j7gnmfp wrote

Forget the washing machines - have you seen how many plastic fibers escape the lint trap(s) on modern dryers?

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_Borti t1_j7j59m8 wrote

It’s a huge contributor. Also, clothes/carpets/bedding shed every day in your home. Good idea to get some hepa air purifiers. Fibers are worse to inhale than swallow.

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Thebitterestballen t1_j7j7i3h wrote

I find it interesting that such a big deal was (rightly) made about plastic straws, but no one is talking about stopping driving or stopping artificial fibres. Tires and microfibre are the largest sources of micro plastic pollution. A cynic would think people find it easier to do something that doesn't really affect them and is visible virtue signalling...

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Likesdirt t1_j7hz1ht wrote

It's nice to avoid making these fibers but shouldn't the wastewater plants be able to settle them out into the sludge? Though if the sludge is spread on fields so are the fibers.

Small solids are coagulated together with flocculants, no fine filtration is usually needed.

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CompromisedCEO t1_j7jjpzg wrote

Why don't they release a law requiring output to be filtered? Would atleast reduce it somewhat with no great effort

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entropreneur t1_j7xsjpz wrote

Serious, are micro cotten or other natural fibers much less damaging to humans?

Don't want to assume natural = better.

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