Hong Kong Scientists Design a Simple Filter System to Catch Harmful Microplastics Released by Dryers, But There’s a Problem
According to one study, a single dryer could be responsible for releasing 120 million plastic microfibers into the air each year.
Clothes dryers are one of the main sources of microfiber pollution in the atmosphere, according to research by Professor Kenneth Leung, director of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP) and the chemistry department at the City University of Hong Kong.
He described the findings as “essential” to managing microfiber emissions, which are known to harm human health and the environment.
“Once we know the source, we can start controlling it using simple methods,” said Leung, the study’s lead author. study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters .
Dryers with insufficient filters
Microfibers are a common group of microplastics: pieces of plastic less than 5 mm in length. During washing and drying, friction causes materials to loosen from these fibers. Due to their small size, many pass through filter driers and are released into the environment, where they have been found in water, food, and even the placenta of unborn babies.
These tiny plastic particles have been found even in the most remote regions since the Arctic to the top of the Earth’s troposphere.
The researchers dried polyester and cotton garments in separate 15-minute cycles and measured how many microfibers were released through the ventilation. While natural materials like cotton also shed fibers, they can be digested by animals and “break down in the environment relatively quickly,” Leung said.
The team estimated that each dryer annually produces and releases between 90 and 120 million microfibers into the outdoor air.
Using 3D printing, Leung and his colleagues have designed simple filters that prevent microplastics from scattering from washing machines and are designing a similar system for dryers.
“Those [sistemas de filtrado] they effectively remove most microfibers from clothing,” he said. However, it is still unclear where these microplastics would end up when the filters are cleaned.
“If people just throw these [fibras] in the garbage, some of the fibers will be released back into the air,” he said. “We suggest that the particles be collected in a bag.”
Nothing stops microplastics
Even if installing these filters is “possible, as Leung says, microfibers will remain ubiquitous until the apparel industry uses more eco-friendly fabrics.
“Manufacturers need to make fabrics and garments that are more resistant to wear and tear,” said Danyang Tao, a doctoral student at SKLMP.
Microfibers are inhaled and ingested by humans and animals every day. These plastics are known to harm wildlife, and studies are starting to uncover the harmful health consequences they have on humans. In 2021, scientists discovered that microplastics caused damage to human cells in the laboratory. These small fibers have also been linked to intestinal inflammation and other intestinal problems.
Leung said he hoped the research would help “raise the alarm and spark more innovation” to solve the problem.
By Mabel Banfield. Article in English