700,000 micro threads per wash –
700,000 MICRO THREADS PER WASH
It still hasn’t sunk in.
Yesterday, I watched a video over at @msc_uk highlighting that with every wash cycle of clothes made from synthetic fibres, 700,000 micro threads leave he washing machine and go out into nature with each wash. And clothes washing accounts for a whopping 35% of the micro plastics in the sea.
Currently there is no machine fitted filter to remove this on any washing machine. Such a simple fix to the design that would have a huge impact on the environment.
Why is this important?
Because micro plastics are eaten by species that dwell on and in the sea. The micro plastic volume builds up, create a false sense of fullness, cancer causing chemicals leach into their systems and of course a lot of these fish etc are part of our food chain too.
This is alarming, right?
There is a simple thing we can do. Some right now, some need a change in our behaviour long term. Here are a few things I’ve been doing over the last few years:
- RIGHT NOW: Sign @msc_uk petition to ‘call for legislation that will see washing machine manufacturers fit microfibre filters in all new domestic and commercial machines, by law, by 2023 and retrofitted in commercial machines by 2024’. https://www.mcsuk.org/campaigns/microfibrecampaign-home#take_action
- EACH & EVERY DAY: wash synthetic clothes less frequently – worn something for a day sat working at home? Then divert from the wash pile, hang it up, let it air, pop it away, wear it again. Repeat.
- LONG TERM & FOREVER MORE: Reject Fast Fashion – When something wears out, recycle it & replace it with natural fibres. Yes, it may cost more, but if you buy well and buy once, you don’t need multiples of cheaper items that are only cheap because the exploit people & the environment in the ways they’re made.
As with all of these things it is a collective effort and each micro step we make, to make changes to how we work and live all add up to make an impact, together.
I recently added underwater housing to my kit collection, as I am passionate about documenting and telling stories about nature that we’re not used to seeing. This seaweed image was one of the first captured and I am so excited to explore our blue world more.
