Of the many microplastics that are released into the environment, 35% are shed from clothing. So small that they are often imperceptible, microfibres have stayed under the policymaking radar for far too long. It is time we finally take microplastic pollution from clothing seriously. That is why I am introducing a bill that will tackle the problem of microplastic pollution head on, by mandating filters in new washing machines to collect them before they ever reach our natural environment.
Microfibre plastic pollution is one of the most pervasive and preventable forms of microplastic pollution. After hundreds of years, whole bits of plastics become microplastics and then nanoplastics: tiny, often microscopic, pieces of plastic that sink to the bottom of the ocean floor or are consumed by humans or animals.
We are only just beginning to understand the impacts of microplastics, but they are looking bleak. Increasing numbers of scientific studies show microplastic contamination within the human body can be harmful to human cells, contributing to respiratory disorders, endocrine disruption, and possibly even a decline in fertility. The scale of this pollution is clear and the sources of microplastics are only growing.
Synthetic textiles, like polyester, have made this problem worse, exacerbated by the rise of fast fashion brands which depend heavily on these plastic fibres. As their clothes flood the market, so too do these microfibres flood our watercourses each time we wash them.
We are not doing enough to stop the flow of microplastics into our natural environment. Waste plastic doesn’t wait for government action – it keeps on floating around our planet, breaking down into microscopic pieces, polluting our natural world.
Recognising the scale of this challenge and the need for action despite our slow progress, I have introduced a bill to Parliament that aims to stem the tide of microplastic pollution. My bill requires washing machine manufacturers to fit microplastic-catching filters in all new domestic and commercial washing machines, a commitment that France and Australia have already made.
Without filters in place, microplastics are too small to be caught by standard washing machine filters. As such, they can end up in the wastewater system where they are either caught, remain in sewage sludge which can be spread onto growing crops, or released from the wastewater into river and marine environments.
By including microplastic-specific filters, we can reduce the problem by over 78% per wash cycle. This number will likely continue improving as the technology progresses. Mandating these filters will speed up industry advances in filter technology too.
This seemingly small step will help to stem the tide of the 500,000 tonnes of synthetic microfibres entering our natural environment from washing machines. As one of the most pervasive and avoidable forms of plastic pollution, reducing microfibre plastic pollution is a great place to start for policymakers looking beyond kerbside collections to solve our waste problems.
With diverse cross-party support, my bill is an easy first step for this Labour government to show, not just tell us, that it is serious about creating a more circular economy. The problem of microplastic pollution is clear. So is my proposed solution.
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