This week, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Microplastics, the Women’s Institute (WI), and a cross-party group of MPs and peers called on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support the Microplastic Filters (Washing Machines) Bill.
The Bill, introduced by Alberto, Chair of the APPG on Microplastics, in October 2024, aims to make microplastic-catching filters mandatory in all new domestic and commercial washing machines. It also seeks to raise public awareness of the harmful impact of microplastic pollution on our rivers, seas, and food chains. The Bill is due to have its second reading on Friday 7th March and this letter puts pressure on the Government to adopt the measures outlined in the Bill.
Every time synthetic textiles are washed, tiny microplastic fibres are released into wastewater. Once in the environment, microplastics harm biodiversity, infiltrate aquatic ecosystems, and eventually make their way into the human food chain. They also absorb toxins and harmful chemicals like PFAS, raising serious concerns about their impact on human health.
The urgency for action has been highlighted by the APPG on Microplastics in its 2021 report, Microplastic Policies for Government. The report outlines six practical solutions to reduce microplastic fibre leakage, drawing on input from washing machine manufacturers, filter makers, trade associations, clothing companies, and environmental groups.
Alberto Costa MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Microplastics is hopeful that the Government will take the issue seriously:
“I am very grateful for the support of colleagues who have signed my letter drawing the Government’s attention to the critical importance of my Bill which aims to reduce the effects of microplastic pollution on the environment and our health. I hope the Government will listen to our serious concerns and look to support my Bill.”
Jeryl Stone, Chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, said:
“Microplastic pollution poses a huge risk to our environment and our health, and the WI is proud to support Alberto’s bill and the APPG. The WI has been campaigning against ocean pollution since 1927, and WI members have, since 2017, tirelessly campaigned to against microplastic pollution. We care passionately about the environment and are not afraid to take action when not enough is happening.”
Note:
The Microplastic Filters (Washing Machines) Bill was tabled by Alberto Costa MP on Tuesday, 29 October 2024, under the Ten-Minute Rule. Its second reading is scheduled for 7 March 2025.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Microplastics was set up by Alberto Costa MP in 2020 and works to raise awareness of the threat of microplastic pollution in parliament and to the public. The group is chaired by Alberto Costa MP and The Women’s Institute provides the secretariat.
In 2021 it published the report Microplastic Policies for the Government, which outlines a series of holistic recommendations designed to eliminate the release of microplastic fibres from clothing into British waters. Key recommendations include the fitting of microfibre filters in all new domestic and commercial washing machines from 2025 and the appointment of a designated ‘Minister for Plastics Pollution’ who would have a clear remit for the control and prevention of plastic pollution. The report can be accessed here.
The Women’s Institute is the largest women’s organisation in the UK, with over 180,000 members in England, Wales and the Islands. Since 1915 its members have campaigned to tackle issues that matter to women in their communities.
