Plastic microfibres slideshow

Every time we wash our clothes in the washing machine, thousands of plastic microfibres are shed, entering the rinse water. When the fibres leave the washing machine, they pass down our drains and into our water system. Unfortunately, because of their small size, water treatment plants cannot filter them out, meaning they eventually get flushed into our rivers and then enter the sea where they cause pollution. Even worse still, they can enter the marine food chains and then ultimately our bodies when we east seafood.

This slideshow shows some of the microfibres under the microscope.

Every time we wash our clothes in the washing machine, thousands of plastic microfibres are shed, entering the rinse water. When the fibres leave the washing machine, they pass down our drains and into our water system. Unfortunately, because of their small size, water treatment plants cannot filter them out, meaning they eventually get flushed into our rivers and then enter the sea where they cause pollution. Even worse still, they can enter the marine food chains and then ultimately our bodies when we east seafood.

This slideshow shows some of the microfibres under the microscope.