我们在洗衣服时，从衣物上脱落并排入外界环境中的人造微纤维总量是一个惊人的数字。美国科学家估计，自20世纪50年代我们开始大量穿戴涤纶和尼龙服饰以来，排入自然环境中的人造微纤维总量达560万吨。

Over the course of the past 65 years or so, our collection of clothing has ballooned, and so is our desire to keep these garments clean. But as our shirts and trousers tumble through a wash cycle, they're losing lots of minuscule threads that drain away with the waste water.

在过去大约65年的时间里，我们的衣物拥有量激增，而我们想保持这些衣物清洁的愿望也变得十分强烈。但当我们的衬衫和裤子在洗涤过程中不停地翻滚时，衣物上的细线会大量脱落，随废水排走。

The research team from the University of California, Santa Barbara, estimates a total of 5.6 million tonnes has been shed in this way, just over half of which has gone into water bodies. That's like putting seven billion fleece jackets in the world's rivers and oceans.

来自加利福尼亚大学圣塔芭芭拉分校的研究小组估计，经洗涤从衣物上脱落的细线总量达560万吨，其中略多于一半被排入水体。这相当于把70亿件羊毛外套放到全世界的河流和海洋里。

But increasingly, says the team, this synthetic fluff is affecting the land. Waste water treatment works now catch most of the fibre lost in the sludge, that's then spread on croplands or buried in landfill.

但研究小组称，这种绒毛状人造微纤维正对陆地造成日益严重的影响。污水处理厂现在可以收集排入污泥中的大部分微纤维，这些微纤维随后会扩散到农田里或掩埋在垃圾填埋场。