Chicago Homeowners Face a Hidden Enemy: Microplastic Pollution is Silently Clogging Your Drains and Threatening Lake Michigan
Every time you wash your favorite polyester fleece or scrub your face with an exfoliating cleanser, you’re unknowingly contributing to one of Chicago’s most insidious environmental challenges. Microplastics are released in mass during the laundry process, especially by your dryer. Polymer fabrics like acrylic, polyester and nylon can shed them in the washing process, creating new and complex cleaning challenges for Chicago’s drainage systems.
The Scale of Chicago’s Microplastic Problem
Areas like Chicago have started installing filters on storm drains and sewage systems to catch macro and microplastics before they enter the water systems. This proactive measure highlights the severity of the issue. Almost 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes each year, with half entering Lake Michigan. For Chicago residents, this pollution doesn’t just stay in the lake—it creates ongoing maintenance challenges for home plumbing systems.
More than 18 million microfibers can be released in just one load of laundry. When multiplied across Chicago’s 2.7 million residents, the daily volume of microplastics entering the city’s drainage infrastructure is staggering.
Synthetic Fabrics: The Primary Culprit in Your Closet
Modern wardrobes are filled with synthetic materials that shed microfibers with every wash. According to the results, knitted fabrics released fewer MPFs than woven fabrics, with the woven acrylic sample (A3-w) exhibiting the highest release (2405 MPFs). Recycled polyester was found to release more MPFs than virgin polyester under the same conditions (1193 MPFs vs. 908 MPFs).
A kilogram sample of polyester fleece released as much as 4.5 million fibres in a single wash. Nylon performance gear-type material didn’t shed nearly as much likely due to design features such as the length of fibre and its tighter weave. These microscopic fibers don’t disappear—they travel through your home’s plumbing system and eventually reach Chicago’s wastewater treatment facilities.
Microfibers from washing clothes enter wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) – which are not engineered to capture microfibers – so a meaningful fraction makes it through to the treated effluent. They flow via washing machine effluent into wastewater treatment plants, primarily resulting in the biosolids left over from treatment. These biosolids are then applied to Illinois lands as fertilizer, releasing microfibers into the environment and contaminating agricultural soils.
Personal Care Products: A Secondary Source of Drain Contamination
While federal legislation has banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, this bill only applied to “rinse-off” personal care products, leaving other applications of microbeads still in use. Today, microbeads are still found in everyday household products, including leave-on cosmetics, cleaning products, and paint.
As ingredients in toothpastes, shampoos, face washes, sunscreen, makeup, nail polishes and shaving creams, these plastic particles get washed down the drain with each use and in most cases pass through wastewater treatment plants without being removed, flowing directly into surface waters such as the Great Lakes.
9 out of every 10 cosmetic products contain forever polluting microplastics. We came to this conclusion by analysing 7,704 cosmetic and care products of the most popular brands of the four biggest cosmetic producers in Europe.
New Cleaning Challenges for Chicago Homeowners
These microscopic invaders create unique problems for home drainage systems. Microplastics, despite their small size, can accumulate over time and form blockages within pipes. And, as these particles clump together, they restrict the flow of water, leading to slow drains and potential backups.
Think of it like hair clogging up your shower drain–although it’s a bunch of tiny little strands, as they build up over time it can create a huge blockage one day. Unlike traditional clogs, microplastic accumulations require specialized cleaning techniques and equipment.
During water distribution, environmental exposure and pipe abrasion also contribute to microplastic contamination in tap water. At the endpoints of water supply systems, water stagnation is inevitable, particularly within building plumbing networks. Prolonged stagnation and elevated temperatures accelerate the decay of residual disinfectants, leading to deteriorated water quality.
Professional Solutions from Chicago’s Drain Cleaning Experts
When microplastic-related drain issues arise, Chicago homeowners need professional expertise to address these complex challenges. Located in Chicago, IL, All Rooter Hydro Jetting Experts services the city and surrounding suburbs. We are available for 24-hour emergency plumbing services. All Rooter Hydro Jetting Experts Inc. is an experienced plumbing company, doing repairs and services with the power and the resources to bring you the best service available. We are fully insured, which ensures your investment in us is a safe one. All Rooter Hydro Jetting Experts Inc. is continuously training its plumbers in order to stay up-to-date on the latest in technology and products.
For homeowners dealing with persistent drain issues that traditional methods can’t resolve, professional Drain Cleaning Chicago services equipped with hydro jetting technology can effectively remove microplastic accumulations that standard drain cleaning tools cannot address.
Prevention and Mitigation Strategies
Homeowners should prioritize regular plumbing maintenance to address potential issues caused by microplastics. Because professional inspections and cleaning by a licensed plumber can help prevent blockages, corrosion, and other plumbing problems.
Chicago residents can take several steps to reduce microplastic pollution at its source:
- Full loads reduce fabric friction, and gentler, colder cycles cause less fiber wear, especially in synthetics. Front-loading machines generally release fewer fibers than top-loaders, and shorter, more efficient dryer cycles help limit microfiber dispersal.
- Instead, purchase organic or environmentally friendly products that contain natural alternatives to microbeads such as ground almonds and walnut shells, cocoa beans, apricot pits, ground pumice, oatmeal or sea salt. These are widely used in natural or organic personal care products already, and were used broadly in personal care products prior to the introduction of plastic microbeads in the 1990s.
- Installing water filtration systems can be an effective way to reduce the presence of microplastics in your tap water. Because, these systems can capture and filter out tiny particles, providing cleaner water for household use.
The Future of Chicago’s Water Quality
Protecting the Great Lakes from the environmental and health risks of plastic microfiber pollution is critical. The Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million people and are home to diverse and increasingly threatened wildlife. As Chicago continues to address this challenge, homeowners must work with qualified professionals who understand both traditional plumbing issues and these emerging microplastic-related complications.
We’re dedicated to keeping your plumbing running smoothly and offering honest, reliable service at a fair price. People who need plumbing services in the Chicago area choose All Rooter for a number of reasons, some of which include: Local Expertise: We know Chicago’s plumbing inside and out. When facing drain issues that may be complicated by microplastic accumulation, Chicago homeowners need experienced professionals who understand these modern challenges and have the advanced equipment necessary to address them effectively.
The battle against microplastic pollution in Chicago’s home drains requires both individual action and professional expertise. By understanding the sources of contamination and working with qualified drain cleaning professionals, homeowners can protect their plumbing systems while contributing to the broader effort to preserve Lake Michigan’s water quality for future generations.