In a recent article published by The Guardian, it talks about how microplastics are being spreading all throughout our environment. Whether it is food, water, or even air, we are consuming microplastics one way or another and are unsure on how they impact us. As for the environment, research has shown that is harms wildlife, especially in the ocean. Because microplastics can only be observed under a microscopic lens, it is very hard to track where they will end up or where they are coming from. In a single washing machine cycle, clothes can shed up to 700,000 pieces of microplastic, which will eventually disseminate through out homes, cities, and countries. One researcher named Aaron Beck found,
“New data from 36 sites collected during The Ocean Race Europe found that 86% of the microplastics in the seawater samples were fibres. “Our data clearly show that microplastics are pervasive in the ocean and that, surprisingly, the major component is microfibres,”
The Guardian
A solution that could work in the meantime, was created by Grundig, who recently developed a fiber-catching washing machine. Their machine is said to catch up to 90% of synthetic fibers, which will significantly cut down the amount of microplastics being released from each wash. They have also have other alternatives that do not require customers to purchase a brand new washing machine. Instead could buy replacement cartridges that will help capture the synthetic fibers as they go down the drain.
I think that Grundig has a done a great job of providing a new efficient way of capturing microplastics and stopping them from harming our environment. I hope to see people in the UK begin to purchase these items, in order to help our oceans and make sure our environment stays clean.
Save Our Pacific 