The rapid expansion of fast fashion has led to a surge in textile production, much of which is made from synthetic fibers. However, the increase in synthetic fibers has also brought about a serious environmental problem: microfiber pollution. Microplastic fibers (MPFs) are released during the laundry process and account for approximately one-third of primary microplastics entering the ocean. These microfibers disrupt the ecological balance of rivers and oceans and pose a threat to marine life and human health.
Methods
A team led by Prof. Chun-Hui Wang and Prof. Gang Li from the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Ningbo) developed a novel model to assess the spatial distribution of MPFs released from laundry processes globally. The model considered variables such as population, fiber product consumption, washing frequency, garment lifespan, and MPF emission factors during washing.
Findings
The global annual emission of MPFs from laundry is estimated to be 5.69 million tons. Machine washing is the primary source of MPF pollution, accounting for 93.7% of emissions. Asia is the largest contributor to MPF pollution, with emissions reaching 3.71 million tons, far exceeding those of North America (1.18 million tons) and Europe (0.45 million tons). There are significant disparities in wastewater management efficiency worldwide, with wastewater treatment plants in developing countries generally exhibiting lower MPF removal efficiency.
This study provides the first high-resolution global distribution map of MPF emissions and discharge into natural water bodies, establishing a data foundation for global and regional management of microplastics originating from household laundry sources. This research helps guide international efforts to mitigate microfiber pollution.
Fig. 1. Geographical distribution of MPF emissions entering the global environment from laundry activities. The data for MPF emissions are represented in a global raster format with a 30 arc-second resolution. The map displays (a) total MPF emissions, (b) emissions specifically from machine-washing, and (c) emissions from hand-washing.
Fig. 2. Geographical distribution of MPFs retained inside the natural water bodies and discharged into the sea in various river basins around the world. (a) Total amount of MPFs, (b) MPFs amount originated from machine-washing, (c) MPFs amount originated from hand-washing.
Authors
The first and corresponding authors of this work are Prof. Chun-Hui Wang and Prof. Gang Li from the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively.
