Plastic microfibers are a type of microplastic (plastic particles less than 5 mm) and are found everywhere! These tiny fibers can come from synthetic apparel, such as clothing made from polyester, nylon, etc., car tires, fishing gear and more. In North America alone, washing machines release an estimated 3.5 quadrillion microfibers into the ocean every year through a process known as microfiber shedding. Once out in the environment, they are nearly impossible to capture due to their small size.
Interventions are needed to address microfiber pollution across the full lifecycle of textiles. In addition to exploring upstream textile redesign and infrastructure solutions to reduce the generation of microfibers, we need near-term solutions to effectively capture microfibers before they enter the environment.
Fortunately, washing machine filter technology has already proven to be an effective solution. These filters are affordable and have demonstrated their efficacy to capture up to 90 percent of microfibers in laboratory and field trials. There are no significant technical or financial barriers to applying these filters to new washing machines, in fact, microfiber filtration technology is already built into washing machines from major brands.
California has the opportunity with AB 1628 to lead in addressing microfiber pollution and incentivize innovation among washing machine manufacturers. With effective filtration solutions already available, we cannot afford to wait to address the threats of microfiber pollution.
Contact your representatives below and urge them to support AB 1628!
