How to cut microplastic pollution from your laundry
Image credit: danielcgold via Unsplash
Every time you wash synthetic clothes, microplastics break off and flow into wastewater, where many end up in rivers and oceans. You can reduce this by washing clothes less often, using cold and gentle cycles, choosing liquid detergent, filling your washer to reduce friction, and installing a microfiber-catching filter or laundry bag. When possible, opt for natural-fiber clothing and air-dry to extend garment life, small habit changes that add up to a real environmental impact.
Source
Marfella, R., Prattichizzo, F., Sardu, C., Fulgenzi, G., Graciotti, L., Spadoni, T., D'Onofrio, N., Scisciola, L., La Grotta, R., Frigé, C., Pellegrini, V., Municinò, M., Siniscalchi, M., Spinetti, F., Vigliotti, G., Vecchione, C., Carrizzo, A., Accarino, G., Squillante, A., Spaziano, G., … Paolisso, G. (2024). Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events. The New England journal of medicine, 390(10), 900–910. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822
Additional Reading
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/reduce-laundry-microfiber-pollution/
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2025/12/does-your-laundry-shed-microplastics