Giving Compass' Take:

· Trent Hodges at the Surfrider Foundation explains the challenges with addressing microfibers and other microplastics and provides the best policies and practices to reduce this pollution. 

· What are microplastics? How can these problems be addressed at the source? How does the textile and clothing industry contribute to this problem? 

· Check out this article to see how plastic pollution and microplastics are harming animals and the environment. 

Plastic pollution comes in many different forms, but perhaps the source that has been the most challenging to address and find solutions to are microfibers and other microplastics. As the science is clearly showing, microfibers, which are tiny synthetic pieces of plastic yarn from textiles and woven materials, are one of the biggest sources of plastic pollution in our oceans and they are found virtually everywhere on the planet. A recent study of stranded marine animals in the U.K. found microplastics in all 50 samples and 84% of the plastic were synthetic microfibers.

When possible, Surfrider primarily focuses on solutions that reduce plastic pollution at the source. For microfiber pollution, this requires a significant transformation in textile and clothing production so that our clothing does not shed harmful plastic. Surfrider also supports and advocates for innovative infrastructure solutions that capture microfibers before they can enter our ocean.

Read the full article about plastic pollution by Trent Hodges at the Surfrider Foundation.