A new study shows that synthetic fibers are found throughout the Arctic Ocean and are being ingested by wildlife. Where do these synthetic fibers come from? The wastewater from our washing machines.
The good news is that there is a solution: microfiber capturing technologies. The most effective product seems to be the Filtrol* which uses a reusable mesh filter to remove microfibers from your washer’s discharge water. While there isn’t enough research to determine the amount of carbon emissions that are reduced from filtering out these microfibers, it was calculated that the Filtrol removes 89% of microfibers from your wash. Microfibers and microplastics negatively impact the health of ecosystems, animals, and humans, so filtering out microfibers prevents them from reaching our lakes, streams and oceans and becoming a part of the food chain.
You may remember our very first “Action of the Week” was to wash in cold water, which saves you 350 pounds of CO2 per year. Add in a microfiber filter as well and your laundry will be “clean” in more ways than one!
For a personal account of how the Filtrol works and how to install the product, check out this blog.
*We are in no way connected to Filtrol—one of our team members uses the product at home and has given positive feedback.
Ready to take action? We will track your emissions for you and send you regular reports.
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