Vancouver's dirty laundry: Policy considerations and interventions to address synthetic (plastic) microfibre ocean pollution in a large urban centre

The environmental sustainability issues arising from growing global textile and fashion consumption have increasingly come under scrutiny. Reportedly, synthetic microfibre emissions during the use-phase of textiles account for the largest land-based source of microplastic pollution. Developing potential intervention strategies aimed at minimizing microfibre leakage into the ocean requires an examination of household-level sources. Previous studies have approximated the rate of microfibre release from washing machines. A number of intervention strategies have been recommended by experts and stakeholders. Some international jurisdictions may put forward legislation to address the issue. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the role the public plays as a key stakeholder group and their behaviours and policy preferences as they impact microfibre leakage. This study addresses that knowledge gap and investigates the drivers of the problem and the practicability, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of interventions and policies to address synthetic microfibre emissions from households in British Columbia.