Home washing machines: Source of potentially harmful ocean 'microplastic' pollution
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 12:30
in Earth & Climate
Scientists are reporting that household washing machines seem to be a major source of so-called "microplastic" pollution -- bits of polyester and acrylic smaller than the head of a pin -- that they now have detected on ocean shorelines worldwide. Their report describing this potentially harmful material appears in Environmental Science & Technology journal.