At Valhalla, sustainability (both environmental and social) is our number one priority. We're always looking for ways to improve on what we're already doing. That's why we installed a microplastic filter on our washer. The filter keeps plastic from polluting our waterways.
What is microplastic?
Microplastics are tiny 1/8" (or smaller) pieces of plastic that have broken down from larger pieces of plastic that were released from washing petroleum based clothing like polyester.
While it may not seem like a big deal (you can't even see them in water) it is incredibly harmful to aquatic life. Over a million tons are released from our washers every single year.
Microplastics are the largest form of plastic pollution today, making up 85% shoreline pollution debris.
How washing clothes produces microplastics
As we wash our clothes, they rub against each other and shed tiny fibers (microplastics and natural). They get caught up in the waste water of the washer, go down the drain, into our sewer system, into the wastewater treatment plant, and then into our waterways. While waste water treatment facilities filter, they are not equipped to filter out such small particles.
Skeptical?
Seeing is believing. And it's hard to understand something that you can't see. Microplastics are tiny. Like, really tiny. It's in the definition. So when you run your washer, you generally don't see the waste water before it goes down the drain. Even if you could - you probably wouldn't be able to see the particles suspended in the water.
After just a couple washes.
Seeing is believing
When you filter out the waste water with a product like The Filtrol, you can see the evidence for yourself. After a couple loads of laundry, you're left with a wet dark clump of microplastics that looks like wet lint from the dryer. Which is essentially what it is - wet lint.
Why is it a big deal?
These microplastics are ingested by fish and other sea animals and passed on to humans in our food and water. Plastic contains a whole host of chemicals that cause issues to your health and to the well-being of our environment. Add on the additional toxins that will get stuck to the plastic surface since it attracts poisonous chemicals like a magnet.
Plastic in Tampa Bay
Research scientists from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg and Eckerd College estimate that there may be as many as 4 billion of these indestructible particles at the bottom of the Bay. Check out their study here.
What to do
This problem sounds so big and unavoidable but there are things we can do to eliminate our portion of this pollution. We've listed our suggestions from straightforward to intricate.
FILTROL: Install a Filtrol filter on the waste water of your washer. It'll capture all the microplastics before they hit our waterways. Just dispose of the debris the filter collects once a month.
GUPPYFRIEND: Use a Guppyfriend to wash clothes and other items made with petroleum products. Polyester, Acrylic, Nylon, Spandex and Acetate are the most common petroleum fabrics. Just put the items in the bag and then remove the collected fibers from the edges of the bag after washing.
NO PETROLEUM: If you don't own any petroleum products, you can't shed microplastics from them. Purge your home of synthetic fabrics.
We didn't include the Cora Ball in the above list because according to their research, they only catch about 26% of microfibers. Also, the process to remove the fibers it catches involves untangling it from the ball which can be difficult because hair gets caught in it.
We know it's difficult to make a change but we hope we make it a little easier. Just one step towards a cleaner environment, and most importantly: a healthier you.