U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley has introduced legislation focused on addressing microfiber pollution from clothing.
The Fighting Fibers Act of 2024 would push to ensure washing machines include microfiber filtration, as well as require future research on the impact of microfibers.
"We know microplastics negatively affect human health and our environment. However, many people do not know that clothes are major contributors to our global plastic pollution crisis," the Oregon Democrat said in a news release.
"My Fighting Fibers Act is a simple fix to help consumers mitigate the environmental impacts of the clothes that most of us wear, creating a healthier planet and future."
Merkley is chair of the Environment and Public Works subcommittee and oversees environmental justice and chemical safety issues. He is also an author of the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act.
Merkley defined the microfiber filtration system as a unit that is active across all washing cycles, is either integrated into the washing machine as a built-in feature or that can be sold separately and installed in the washing machine.
The specification around microfibers is any synthetic or natural textile fiber that is less than five millimeters in length.
The bill would require new machines to have microfiber filtration systems by Jan. 1, 2030. Machines would be required to have a label with the statement: "This washing machine contains a filter to capture microfibers. Check filter regularly and dispose of captured lint in a waste bin.''
Penalties for a first violation would be not more than $10,000 and for each following violation is $30,000.
The research side of the bill calls for a national study on effects of microfibers in the human body and the environment.
The Fighting Fibers Act is supported by Ocean Conservancy and the 5 Gyres Institute.