Your laundry might be harming the environment, according to a new study. This is quite shocking, since we wash our clothes in various types of washing machines, to clean them. So, how could we be cleaning our clothes on one hand, and making something else dirty on the other?
Knowing that previous studies have associated cancer, memory issues, and hormone disruption during pregnancy, with various substances one gets exposed to, Canadian researchers have now found out that “cotton and polyester fabrics accumulate flame retardants and plasticizers called phthalates from the air in an indoor office environment”.
The scientists mentioned that “When the fabrics were laundered, a range of these substances flowed into the wash water, which ultimately gets treated and released into the environment,” adding that “the results could have implications for both aquatic life and people.”
Miriam L. Diamond and colleagues, published that results they came up with in the ACS’ journalEnvironmental Science & Technology. They researchers were basically investigating if flame retardants (chemicals that are added to numerous everyday items, such as furniture, mattresses, and clothes, to prevent them from catching fire) find their way into the environment through the washing machine.
So, what should we do in this case?
According to a research published in the journal Reviews on Environmental Health, “reducing the use of toxic or untested flame retardant chemicals in consumer products can protect human and animal health and the global environment without compromising fire safety.”
You could be two things in this case
- Reduce your use of chemicals
- Limit your exposure to toxic chemicals, to protect your health
