By Hauwa Ali
A new study has confirmed that washing and dryer machines are equal threat to the environment as they pollute the air.
The study, published in the scientific journal, PLOS ONE, was carried out by a team of scientists at Northumbria University and scientists at Procter & Gamble (P&G).
They conducted the research and found that a drying cycle releases the same amount of potentially harmful microfibers into the air as a wash load releases into the water system.
The study finds that not only does washing clothes use an excessive amount of energy, it also spews out tons of carbon dioxide, which is bad for the environment, and it wears down clothes, which adds clothing to landfills.
The research findings suggests that a residential washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load, while a commercial washing machine uses an average of 34.74 thousand gallons of water and up to 910 kilowatts of electricity per year.
Also, residential washing machines emit 179 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year and when using cold water, emissions can reduce by 864 pounds of carbon per year.
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The study also finds that Scented liquid laundry detergent emits compounds that most Environmental Protection Agencies have classified as carcinogens.
This study reavealed that drying one load of laundry in a residential dryer is equally as bad for the environment as doing one wash load.
While the team also researched the impact of dryers on the environment, they also found that the dryer sheets and fabric softeners could reduce the release of microfibers during tumble dryers.
The Northumbria and P&G study measured the output of microfibers in loads totaling 1,200 garments, where it found that if a link filter had smaller pores, it could trap the microfibers better which would mean drying cycles would spew less hazardous material into the air.
“It is critical to our understanding of the impact of microfibers on human health and the environment that all the potential pathways for microfiber release, including air, are assessed. Airborne fibers are just as concerning as those present in wastewater.” Dr. Kelly Sheridan, an expert in textile fibers at Northumbria University, said.
Scientists at the University of Washington had published a research a decade ago in the journal, Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, showing that liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contain hazardous chemicals — including two that are classified as carcinogens — that a drying cycle releases into the air.
With this new findings, researchers are calling on the appliance industry to improve the efficiency of filtration systems in vented dryers.
“The recent rises in energy costs have led us all to think carefully about the financial impact of using dryers, but few are aware of their impact on particulate air pollution,” says Dr. Neil Lant, a research fellow at P&G and lead scientist on this study.
