New US study: The more water a washing machine uses, the more microplastics it produces
Beijing, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A new study published in the United States "Environmental Science and Technology" recently shows that the key factor affecting the fiber of microplastics from clothing is the amount of water used in the washing machine washing process, rather than its rotating stirring effect, so avoiding high-water laundry mode can help reduce Marine microplastic pollution.
Microplastics in the ocean are a small particle size of plastic particles, which pose risks to Marine ecological security. Laundry has long been recognized as one of the main sources of microplastics, and with each wash of clothes containing materials such as nylon, polyester and acrylic, a large number of clothing fibers are shed and discharged from our washing machines and end up in the ocean.
The University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with researchers from Procter & Gamble in the United States, used a benchtop device consisting of eight 1,000ml washing containers to simulate the washing conditions of a household washing machine, and then a digital color imaging system to accurately calculate the amount of fibers released after polyester clothing washing.
The researchers found that the more water the washing machine used, the more clothing fibers were shed. Although the washing machine is rotated and stirred to a low degree in fine washing mode, and a lot of water is used to protect the clothing from damage, the high amount of water actually "pulls" more fibers off the fabric.
By reducing the use of high-water laundry modes, people can do their part to reduce the release of clothing fibers into the environment, said Neil Lant, a P&G researcher involved in the study.
The researchers hope that the findings will be used to improve the design of washing machines and clothing in the future. For example, the home appliance industry has begun to introduce microfiber filters in some new washing machines, and the textile industry is looking for ways to reduce the level of fiber loss in new clothes.