Microfiber Washing Machine Experiment
Overview
Investigate how microfibers get into our waterways and what changes you can make at home to reduce their impact.
Highlights
Program Duration: 1.25 Hours
Trip Season: Sept-June
Student Limit: Up to 25
Trip Description
Microfibers find their way into our water, our soil, and our air. We shed them from our clothes as we wear, wash, and dry them. Plastic microfibers are so small and find their way into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. They can escape our water treatment plants and most filters. In this experiment, participants will test a variety of variables to determine how water temperature, agitation speed, and clothing material influence the number of microfibers shed and how those factors relate to their washing machine settings.