Why washing machine fibers are dangerous to the environment

By James Gamble via SWNS

Washing cycles around the UK alone could be releasing fibers weighing the same as 1,500 double-decker buses each year, a new study has found.

Microfibers - tiny artificial fibers which enter the environment when clothes are made - are a major source of water pollution in rivers and oceans across the globe.

The harmful microplastics, which are thinner than a human hair and invisible to the naked eye, absorb toxic chemicals that are then consumed by marine wildlife.

The research shows the main contributing factors to the amount of microfibers shed in washes lie in the ratio of clothes to water and the material the clothes are made from.

Academics at the University of Leeds’ School of Design co-created an innovative test to measure how different materials and conditions affect the amount of microfibers released into water whilst washing clothes.

The test, funded by the trade body the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and sustainable textiles organisation The Microfibre Consortium (TMC), estimated that between 6,860 and 17,847 tonnes of the small fibers were released each year in the UK.

The globally aligned test method which resulted from the collaborative project has already been adopted by U.S. and EU standard bodies due to its reliability.

Researchers used a "Gyrowash" - a device replicating a domestic washing machine in lab conditions – to test 16 common fabrics, different yarn types and the conditions of a wash, including the size of the load and how much the machine shakes.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research, found that over two times the amount of microfibers were released when the ratio of water to clothing was doubled, as the water flows more freely through the machine and dislodges loose material.

But the researchers pointed out that overfilling a washing machine can also lead to safety concerns, as well as reducing the quality of the wash.

The test further highlighted the impact the agitation of washes - how much the machine shakes the clothes around - had on the amount of microfibers shed.

Researchers discovered that the more your washing machine shakes, the more microfibers will be released from clothing.

A third observation was made that microfibers loss reduced significantly following a new item of clothing’s first wash; though this "leveled out" after three washes.

Past estimates had been based on the results of only new fabrics being washed, meaning these latest findings suggest less microfibers are being lost than previously thought.

The new research also found the fabric characteristics, concerning yarn type, whether clothes were knitted or woven, and the types of fiber used were more influential than washing conditions on the amount of microfibers released.

Chenille polyester fabric was found to be the worst material for shedding microfibers, whereas fabrics which had been brushed or peached – the method used to give clothes the feeling of fur on a peach – lost less material.

Based on the organizations’ tests, the annual microfiber release from washes in the UK was estimated to be between 6,860 and 17,847 tonnes - the equivalent weight of between 600 and 1,500 double-decker buses.

However, this pollution is still dwarfed in comparison to the fashion industry’s waste problem, which is estimated to contribute 360,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill each year.

Alice Hazlehurst, a lead author of the study and postgraduate researcher at the University of Leeds’ School of Design, hailed the new test as an ‘important step’ in understanding microfiber pollution.

She said: “We used a reliable testing method to compare microfiber release from different fabrics and under different washing conditions in the lab.

“Quantifying microfiber release is an important step in understanding the scale of the problem, as well as the potential impacts of this form of pollution.

“There are already lots of estimates out there, but these vary dramatically and it’s almost impossible to make meaningful comparisons.

“Based on our results, we were able to estimate the quantity of microfiber release at a realistic scale.”

Dr. Mark Sumner, a lecturer at the School of Design, added: “Ultimately, the research shows that fabric choice is complex and we shouldn’t assume some fabrics are worse than others.”

It is now hoped the collaborative microfiber test can help international clothing brands more accurately test garments on their microfiber release, as well as inform washing machine manufacturers on filtering.

Dr. Kelly Sheridan, research director at TMC, said: “The Microfiber Consortium has actively driven for a globally aligned test method that can be used by the textile industry to measure fiber fragmentation from finished fabrics.

“The TMC Test Method was the foundation for the development of an international ISO standard, which is a testament to its accuracy and reliability.

“Consequently, microfiber loss data generated from this method can supersede that of previous quantification estimates that have used inconsistent test methodologies.”