According to One Green Planet, a single piece of clothing made from synthetic materials (such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic) releases a whopping 1,900 microfibers each time it is washed ... and these tiny plastic fibers end up leaking into sewage systems or local waterways.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ These microfibers can eventually end up in our oceans, where they can be ingested by marine life. Ingesting microfibers has been shown to cause health problems in marine animals, and it is possible that these health problems could be passed on to humans who eat seafood.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ You can help reduce the amount of microfibers that are released into the environment by washing your clothes less often, and by choosing to wear natural fibers instead of synthetic fibers. You can also help by supporting businesses that are working to develop more environmentally-friendly methods of manufacturing clothing. This is where extended producer responsibility (EPR) comes in, action to phase out a variety of single-use products including plastic utensils and make producers of certain products fiscally responsible for collecting, managing, and recycling or composting the products after consumer use.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ What do you think about EPR?