Take a look at your clothes labels. If they contain some sort of man-made fibres then studies show your clothes wash could be threatening the world's seas.'
The above is the opening lines of this news report that has just made the BBC website under the heading
Is my washing to blame for the plastic problem?
The article continues...
But there are ways of reducing the damage. Here are some of the options.
When you do laundry, synthetic clothes shed tiny threads which end up in the water - about 700,000 fibres in a single domestic wash.
Less than a millimetre in length, the microfibres then make their way into the waterways and seas.
The worst offenders are polyester, acrylic and nylon.
A polyester fleece jacket releases 1,000,000 fibres per wash, according to one study, while a pair of nylon socks is responsible for 136,000 fibres.
Scientists from the University of Manchester found those fibres are littering riverbeds across the UK.
Research highlighted by MPs this week shows they end up being eaten by fish and other aquatic creatures, ultimately ending up in the food chain.
Earlier this year, scientists found fibres, including strands of underwear, in every sample of mussels they tested in British seawaters or bought from UK supermarkets.
Another study, from the University of Exeter, found microfibres in the environment altered animals' behaviour.
Is there anything I can do?
Well if you've always hated laundry, here's your excuse not to do it. Otherwise, there are some changes you can make:
- ■ Wash at a low temperature. Higher temperatures result in more fibres being released.
■ Fill up your washing machine. Washing a full load results in fewer fibres being released as there is less friction.
■ Aim for shorter washes - again this reduces the friction between fabrics.
■ Use washing liquid instead of powder. The grains of the powder can result in loosening the fibres.
■ Spin clothes at lower speeds to reduce chances of fibres loosening.
■ Avoid using detergents with a high pH and oxidizing agents. Some fabric softeners also help to reduce friction.
That would have the biggest impact, says Jeroen Dagevos, from ocean conservation project Plastic Soup Foundation.
He also suggests buying fewer synthetic clothes, instead buying natural fabrics such as wool, cotton, linen, silk or cashmere.
You can read the rest HERE
Maybe the answer will have to be we dispense with clothes altogether and go back to the days of Adam and Eve.
