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<p>Microplastics can enter the environment from several sources such as vehicle tyre
wear, machine-washing clothes and from textiles themselves.</p><p> </p><p>Defra funded
a rapid evidence assessment in 2022 to better understand the costs, benefits, and
efficiencies of installing filters in washing machines to trap textile microfibres
during the laundry cycle and before discharge to wastewater treatment works. Evidence
gaps were identified from the review and the conclusion was made that further information
is required to meet the legal framework to drive action. For example, there is a need
to better understand how to avert additional costs incurred by consumers of new washing
machines with filters, and the consumer’s sustainable disposal of used filters. We
need to ensure all evidence to support the introduction of filters is robust and fully
reviewed. We have conveyed this to the industry, and we look forward to any proposals
they are able to share when they are able to do so.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working
with the UK water industry to understand the effectiveness of other interventions
in the wastewater system to tackle microplastic pollution and to characterise and
quantify microplastics and fibres entering wastewater treatment works. Research to-date
shows that wastewater treatment plants are effective at removing microplastics and
-fibres from wastewater from the home environment, with up to 99% of microplastic
particles removed throughout the wastewater treatment process.</p>
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