Microfibres: The Invisible Plastic Filling Our Oceans

Do you know that the biggest source of plastic pollution in our oceans is actually so tiny it’s almost invisible? That’s right, neither floating drinks bottles, twisted fishing nets nor the rainbow of broken plastic fragments decorating the sea’s surface are the main culprit; microfibres are.

Microfibres are teeny pieces of material which wear loose from textiles, most commonly clothing as these items see lots of wear and tear over their lifetime. Around 60% of clothing worldwide is made from synthetic materials, such as polyester, nylon and acrylic. This was initially seen as a positive invention as these materials require less water than cotton and don’t need chemical pesticides whilst they are a great material for outdoor and sports clothing. Yet on the other hand, these textiles have much higher carbon dioxide emissions in their production and produce non-biodegradable waste. What many don’t realise is that the waste isn’t just generated when their unwanted item hits the landfill site but every time they throw them in the wash.

In one single wash, an item of clothing can release roughly 700,000 fibres, that’s nine million fibres for your whole laundry load. These microscopic multicoloured threads escape the washing machine filter and are carried along with the dirty water to the waste treatment plant. Once again however, many of these microfibres slip through the gaps in the filter systems and tumble out into our rivers, waterways and oceans where they can persist for hundreds of years. If these fibres have originated from synthetic materials, they are essentially just tiny pieces of plastic. Whilst miniscule microbeads have been banned from cosmetic products for the invisible but dangerous effects they have on the ocean, microfibres are still largely forgotten and left to escape into the waves, despite sharing many similar properties. Both microfibres and microbeads can be invisible to the naked eye, persist in the environment for hundreds of years and act as a home for chemical pollutants; so why is only one of them regulated?

Firstly, microfibre’s ability to persist for such a long time without degrading means they can travel through both the food chain and precious ecosystem for many years. Already, studies have found plankton to consume microfibres finer than a human hair. Some may mistake these wispy fibres for algae and have been seen to eat less nutritious algae if they believe they have already eaten their fill. This leaves them feeling full whilst their bodies are actually still hungry for nutrients, possibly leading to stunted growth. These same effects have been found in larger marine creatures too, such as crabs. Sadly however, this is only half the issue.

Many textiles are treated with chemicals during their manufacture to help make them longer lasting or flame retardant for example. So as microfibres enter our waterways they may already carry toxic elements, yet these plastic particles also attract persistent organic chemicals which are known to cause a dangerous variety of health issues for both animals and humans. If plankton ingest these fibres coated in chemicals, the next animal of the food chain will ingest these too. By the time we reach whales and sharks at the top of the food chain, the level of toxic chemicals which can have accumulated in their body tissue is both astonishing and deeply worrying for their health. When it comes to fish however, humans are the top predator.

Researchers have looked at fish for sale for human consumption at markets around the world to discover whether these potentially harmful fibres are present. Curiously, they found mixed results. At the markets visited in America, 80% of the fish contained microfibres woven through their gastrointestinal tract yet in Indonesia, not a single fish contained microfibres, although they did display tiny plastic fragments. Researchers believe this is because both synthetic materials and washing machines are fairly uncommon in Indonesia, meaning there is very little microfibre pollution. This is further supported by other studies which have found an abundance of microfibre pollution on shorelines close to wastewater discharge pipes, suggesting fibres are being shed during washing. For those now questioning their next fish dish, these microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tract which humans only consume if we eat the entire fish, rather than fillets. As to whether the potential chemicals the fibres hold reach the meat, this is yet to be understood.

Inside fish is not the only surprising place where these teeny threads have been discovered as microfibres have now also penetrated our grand curving walls of sea ice. In the Antarctic, the circumpolar current which runs around the continent was previously believed to act as a barrier to plastics being swept into the pristine ecosystem but it has now been found to be acting as a transport system, along with the wind, for litter such as microfibres. As sea ice forms each year, fibres are frozen alongside water where they accumulate in the ice year on year. Once locked in, they can travel vast distances as part of the sea ice or one day maybe even merge and become part of the permanent ice shelf. So long as the ice remains frozen, this is all well and good but in the Arctic, rapidly melting sea ice is now becoming a source of microplastic pollution. Unfortunately, the melting of ice in summer coincides with blooms of plankton, meaning these tiny beings, which feed the rest of our oceans’ inhabitants, have a huge selection of plastic to snack on.

Even marine snow has become infiltrated with artificial debris. Marine snow is a relatively unknown process but has been occurring for as long as life has resided in the ocean. It is the slow descent of tiny particles of dead plants and animals, faeces, dust and microbes; not quite as magical as snow on land. Several years ago, scientists discovered that the plastic debris we see floating on the surface of the ocean only accounts for 1% of the plastic in the ocean, with the rest accumulating on the seafloor which holds 10,000 times more microplastics than the surface. Common plastics, such as polyethylene, are too light to sink on their own but once tiny organisms and microbial hitchhikers latch on, they become heavy enough to sink to the depths just like marine snow. Some of these communities which make plastic particles their home shine bright with bioluminescence and so as they sink into deep dark water, fish are drawn in as they believe they have found a tasty snack. Creatures dwelling in the farthest depths of our ocean, such as vampire squid, actually live off marine snow, except now they have been found to have more plastic in their bodies than squid living closer to the surface of the ocean. If this wasn’t enough bad news, the plastic sinking with the snow will eventually form a new stratigraphic layer of the seabed, cementing man’s time on the planet long after we are gone.

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom; each of us as individuals can actually play a large part in helping reduce microfibre pollution with very little effort at all. As most microfibre pollution is thought to derive from the washing of synthetic textiles, small everyday changes can make a real difference if we all commit. To help with not just microfibre pollution but a whole host of environmental issues, you can choose to become a more savvy shopper by swerving away from synthetic materials and opting for natural fibres such as cotton, hemp, wool and bamboo. Just as importantly however, is moving away from fast fashion, cutting down on the amount you buy and opting for items which are durable. Patagonia is one clothing company which has shown particular passion for reducing their contribution to microfibre pollution and have conducted many studies into the environmental impact of different materials. Crucially though, they found that lower quality and often lower price garments are more likely to shed fibres as they are shorter and not as well spun, meaning they work free from the fabric more easily, leading to greater levels of pollution.

The next step you can take to reduce your microfibre pollution lies in changing your washing habits. Making sure your washing machine is full when you turn it on means less friction between the clothes and therefore fewer fibres released. Similarly, using a low spin, ditching the tumble drier and using washing liquid not powder all help to reduce friction which works fibres loose. Washing less often and on a lower temperature can also help. You can even purchase innovative devices which capture microfibres in the washing machine before they escape down the drain, such as Guppyfriend and Cora Ball.

We still have a lot to learn about microfibres and their impact on the planet but wouldn’t it be better to be safe than sorry and treat them equally to other microplastics which we work so hard to regulate and cut down on?

By Neve McCracken-Heywood