All-party parliamentary group calls for mandatory filtration of microfibers on washing machines

UK
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Microplastics, established in 2020, released a report calling on parliament to pass legislation making microfiber filtration mandatory in all household and commercial washing machines by 2025.

The APPG report, one of the main drivers of which is the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI), which has campaigned heavily on the issue of microfiber pollution, as well as the demand for microfiber filtration in all washing machines. domestic and commercial washing by 2025, urgently call for:

• Introduction of legislation and standards that require the installation of microfiber filters in all new domestic and commercial washing machines from 2025

• The creation of UK microfiber recycling technology.

• Encourage the establishment of recycling technology for microfibers with funding through Innovate UK to enable UK companies to provide viable solutions for recycling microfibers on a large scale.

• Washing machine manufacturers and / or filter manufacturers are required to communicate how microfiber waste should be properly recycled or disposed of.

• Create an “environmental quality standard” for plastics.

Filtration and wastewater

• Introduce an “extended producer responsibility” program for textiles from 2023.

Along with political experts, renowned academics and environmental NGOs, Xeros Technologies PLC attended the launch of the report. In a report from Cinet, Mark Nichols, CEO of Xeros Company, which serves the commercial laundry industry as Hydrofinty, said: Equipment.

“Our journey began with a very public commitment to the United Nations Ocean Conference to produce an effective filtration solution for washing machines. Since then, the problem of microfiber pollution in the environment and our precious oceans has grown exponentially.

“The NFWI’s work to highlight the problem of microfiber pollution caused by laundry has helped to attract the attention of the general public, and by extension APPG’s work on microplastics is now addressing the issue. for government and policy makers who can make a real difference.

“Efficient filtration of microfibers in washing machines is the fastest and most cost-effective way to mitigate the release of microplastics from laundry into aquatic environments. By calling for legislation in the UK, APPG Microplastics is taking an important step towards making this a reality.

Ann Jones, President of the NFIW, prefaced the report, saying: “The Women’s Institute has worked to protect and conserve our oceans from pollution since 1927. Since the beginning of our ‘End Plastic Soup’ campaign in 2017 to eliminate the plastic micro-pollution in laundry, we wrote and published our report “In a Spin.” Across England, Wales and the Islands, WI members have raised awareness of the issue of plastic microfibers in their own communities and championed best clothing washing practices. APPG’s holistic recommendations on microplastics aim to make concrete changes throughout a garment’s lifecycle to help clean our environment. 2021 is a huge year for climate and environmental action in the UK, and we urge the UK government to use our comprehensive policy recommendations as a solid basis for stemming the tide of plastic microfibers in UK seas and inland waterways. “

• Download the full report here