Fibers Shed by Your Clothes Could Cause Trouble for Plants
Study suggests contaminated soil holds less water, perhaps contributing to weaker growth. (Getty Images/Visivasnc)
That cozy fleece in your washing machine could be affecting more than your clothes—it may also be interfering with how crops grow. A new study from researchers at Cornell University and the University of Toronto suggests that polyester microfibers in soil can slow the growth of cherry tomato plants, adding to concerns about how microplastic pollution from laundry could impact agriculture.
According to the researchers, household washing machines shed millions of tiny plastic fibers with every load. Many of these fibers pass through wastewater treatment systems and eventually reach farmland when treated sewage sludge is used as fertilizer, a practice applied to large portions of cropland in some countries. The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
In greenhouse experiments, cherry tomato plants grown in soil containing polyester microfibers were 11% less likely to sprout. Those that did emerge grew smaller and took several additional days to flower and produce ripe fruit compared with plants grown in clean soil. The contaminated soil also retained less water, which may have contributed to poorer plant performance. Lead author Natasha Djuric said tomatoes were chosen because of their fast growth and importance as a food crop, but emphasized that the results do not yet directly reflect real-world farming conditions.
Some scientists urge caution in interpreting the findings. Environmental toxicologist Willie Peijnenburg of Leiden University noted that the microfiber levels used in the experiment were higher than those typically measured in agricultural fields, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about real-life effects. Other studies have even found mixed results—such as research showing higher protein levels in corn grown with microplastics—though those gains may come alongside increased uptake of harmful metals.
As policymakers consider possible regulations and engineers work on washing-machine filters designed to capture synthetic fibers, experts say individuals can reduce their own impact by choosing natural fabrics, buying secondhand clothing, and washing clothes in cold water.
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