MILACA, Minn. — May 31, 2018 — Some people may not think twice about whether microscopic bits of synthetic fabric are being flushed out of the washing machine and into the septic system every time you wash a load of clothes. However, those tiny fibers add up, and over time, they can clog drain pipes and septic drain fields, eventually causing early septic system failures. Fortunately, Wexco Environmental has introduced the Filtrol 160, the first washing machine lint trap capable of capturing microscopic fibers and keeping them out of the septic systems.
The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) already requires washing machines in commercial buildings to have lint traps, and residential building codes in some states are beginning to require similar devices. Still, homeowners don’t always realize the damage microscopic synthetic fibers can have on their septic systems until they’re faced with costly repair fees.
“Synthetic fibers don’t break down in the septic system, no matter how small they are,” explained Wexco Founder and President Brian Koski. “Nowadays, 60-percent of clothing is made from synthetic material. Each time that clothing is washed, microscopic bits slough off through the washing machine drain and into the septic system. Eventually it causes real problems.”
Although some washing machines have built-in lint filters and a few after-market washing machine lint traps are available, none of them filter out the smallest particles. The Filtrol 160, on the other hand, is the only in-line washing machine filter that can actually catch microscopic particles and keep them out of septic systems.
And it doesn’t stop there. The Filtrol 160 also filters out hair, microplastics, pet hair, concrete particles, metal shavings and sand–all of which, like fabric fibers, can accumulate in a septic drain field, drastically reducing its ability to help filter the wastewater that is deposited in the septic tank.
“I just dug up and relocated a dry well that my washer empties into because it was completely blocked with roots and lint, primarily lint. I…bought [the Filtrol 160] to prevent the lint problem,” wrote one customer who purchased the Filtrol 160 on Amazon. “Judging [by] the amount of lint it accumulates, I would say it is doing a very good job.”
Filtrol 160 is so effective, it has been recognized by Patagonia, 5 Gyres, Adventure Scientists, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Sea Shepherd and others as a leading solution in the fight against microfiber pollution. After all, it’s not just septic systems that benefit from reducing the amount of microscopic fibers flushed out by washing machines: so do groundwater and waterways. In fact, Koski and his team recently donated Filtrol 160 filters to four vessels in the Sea Shepherd’s fleet in an effort to reduce microplastics in the oceans.
Posted May 31, 2018
Source: Wexco
