Laundry has a significant negative impact on the environment, particularly the oceans. This is because the synthetic fibers used in the fashion industry emit microplastics.
However, there are easy things everyone can do to reduce how often they do laundry, protecting the environment and saving money at the same time.
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- Why you should start doing your laundry less often
- This is what you should remember
Why you should start doing your laundry less often
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According to research conducted in 2021 by the Ocean Wise organization and Canada’s federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, there are significant amounts of microplastics in the oceans, including the Arctic.
The vast majority of these microplastics (92.3%) are made from synthetic fibers, particularly polyester (73%), similar to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in textiles.
According to the French Agency for the Ecological Transition, ADEME, this is mainly due to washing clothes. The main problem, according to ADEME, is everything that comes out of the wash made of nylon, polyester, elastane or acrylic microparticles.
They come from our clothes and are too small to pass through sewage treatment facilities, so they end up in the ocean. Before plastic bags, they are the biggest source of ocean pollution.
And this is not without effect, since a 2020 Australian study predicted that there were 14 million tons of microplastics on the seafloor.
Due to this discovery, France, a leader in this sector, has approved laws that require the installation of microplastic filters in washing machines by the year 2025.
This is what you should remember
Here are some quick actions every household can take to reduce the amount of microplastics that are discharged into wastewater before ending up in the oceans and harming marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
How often should jeans be washed? Although there is some disagreement on this, experts believe that jeans do not necessarily need to be washed after each use.
As we have seen, this behavior harms the environment, especially the oceans, and accelerates deterioration. As for other garments, it all depends on the fabric and use of each garment.
With the exception of bras, which can be worn many times before being machine washed, most undergarments should be washed after each use. There is no need to wash jackets and coats every month or week because they do not come into direct contact with the body.
Some professionals advise washing them two or three times a year.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn