PVA pods are an issue, but they are a small contributor because they do somewhat break down. You should be more concerned about the polyester clothes and plastic cooking utensils which are put into the machines. Ultimately, however, the vast majority of microplastics in the ocean are from packaging (either retail or supply-chain types) which end up outside of the proper disposal systems.
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Reply to comment by gerberag in Microplastics deposited on the seafloor have tripled in 20 years, study shows by Additional-Two-7312
PVA pods are an issue, but they are a small contributor because they do somewhat break down. You should be more concerned about the polyester clothes and plastic cooking utensils which are put into the machines. Ultimately, however, the vast majority of microplastics in the ocean are from packaging (either retail or supply-chain types) which end up outside of the proper disposal systems.