When you toss a load of laundry into the dryer, you probably don’t think about what escapes into the air. Yet new research from Keep Tahoe Blue and the Desert Research Institute (DRI) reveals that household dryers are quietly releasing microscopic fibers into the atmosphere. Some of those invisible pollutants could eventually affect Lake Tahoe’s legendary water quality.

This first-of-its-kind study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (Oxford University Press), connects everyday habits to one of Tahoe’s most urgent challenges: keeping airborne and waterborne pollution from reaching the Lake.

Tracking Pollution from Homes to the Lake

The dryer vent microplastics project started in 2020 as part of a multi-year partnership between Keep Tahoe Blue and DRI. Its goal is to determine whether dryers, which are found in nearly every American household, are an overlooked source of microplastic pollution in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The project was spurred by a 2019 discovery made by scientists from the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and volunteers from Keep Tahoe Blue’s Pipe Keepers citizen science program. They were the first to confirm the presence of microplastics in Lake Tahoe. This groundbreaking finding raised a crucial question: If we are detecting microplastics in a highly protected, alpine lake, where are they coming from?

Citizen Science in Action: Tahoe Volunteers Power Global Research

During the COVID-19 pandemic, six local households turned their homes into research stations. With guidance from DRI scientists, volunteers installed fine mesh filters over their dryer vents for three weeks. They logged each load’s fabric types, including cotton, polyester, linen, or blends, using the Citizen Science Tahoe app.

Despite restrictions on in-person fieldwork, volunteers safely collected samples that were mailed back to DRI for analysis. Under the microscope, scientists confirmed the presence of both natural fibers (cotton) and synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon), proving that dryers emit a mix of materials, not just microplastics.

The study estimated that U.S. dryers collectively release about 3,544 metric tons of microfibers each year, roughly 30 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. Because synthetic fibers persist for decades, these findings spotlight dryers as a significant, and previously unmeasured, source of airborne microplastic pollution.

“This volunteer-fueled research adds to our knowledge of pollution sources like dryer vents,” said Marilee Movius, Sustainable Recreation Manager at Keep Tahoe Blue. “It shows how small behavioral changes — like cleaning vents or air-drying clothes — can protect Lake Tahoe and ourselves.”

Building on Tahoe’s Microplastics Science Leadership

The Desert Research Institute, led by Dr. Monica Arienzo, conducted a study that found heat and friction from dryers cause fabrics to shed fibers faster than washing does, making dryers a significant source of microplastic emissions. Once airborne, these fibers can settle in waterways, soils, and snow.

For Keep Tahoe Blue, the findings help connect household sources to the broader microplastics cycle documented through the organization’s cleanup and citizen science programs. Together, they build a fuller picture of how plastics move through the Basin’s air, stormwater, and ultimately, into the Lake.

“This study marks an important step in understanding how airborne pollution interacts with Tahoe’s clarity,” said Laura Patten, Natural Resource Director at Keep Tahoe Blue. “By pairing volunteer data with lab research, we’re turning science into solutions that protect the Lake and inform policy changes that can prevent pollution at the source.”

Lessons That Reach Beyond Tahoe

What’s happening in Tahoe has implications for mountain and freshwater ecosystems around the world. The Tahoe Science Advisory Council has formed a Microplastics Working Group to investigate dryer emissions, tire-wear particles, and other emerging pollutants. Tahoe’s science network, including the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Nevada, Reno, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, and Keep Tahoe Blue, is now recognized internationally as a leader in community-based microplastics research.

Citizen scientists and local experts are advancing global knowledge of microplastics and air pollution sources from right here at Lake Tahoe. By building what we know, we can act bigger than Tahoe to share these lessons and research worldwide.

Simple Steps to Keep Tahoe Blue

Each new study brings the same message: the small choices we make in our daily lives matter. Here are a few ways you can contribute:

• Clean your dryer vent filters more consistently.
• Air-dry when possible to reduce microfiber release.
• Choose natural, long-lasting fabrics instead of synthetics.
• Get involved with the Citizen Science Tahoe app or Keep Tahoe Blue cleanup to help support essential research by providing valuable data.

Fuel Science That Keeps Tahoe Blue

Donate to Keep Tahoe Blue to support groundbreaking research, technology, and citizen science programs that stop microplastics before they reach the Lake. We bridge science and advocacy, translating complex research into solutions and policy changes to reduce plastic at the source. This helps Keep Tahoe Blue for future generations.