The problem of Polyester microfibers
- Worldwide, up to 35% of the microplastics that end up in the sea come from synthetic textiles
- Within the synthetic fiber group, Polyester has the largest share of 54%
- Numerous international reports also show how harmful microplastics can be: Like tiny magnets, they attract toxic substances that are eaten by fish and other marine animals and end up back on our plates via the food chain. Inhaled microplastics can damage lung tissue
- Micro- and nanoplastics have now been detected in the human placenta, in the blood and in the human brain and generally cause inflammatory reactions.
- Polyester microfibers can take up to 200 years to degrade
- In addition to microplastic pollution and the lack of degradability of polyester, production also plays a role. The production of polyester requires large amounts of oil, water and energy, which contributes to significant CO2 emissions and thus to the climate crisis.
- In addition, harmful chemicals are often used that can cause cancer and lead to skin irritation and allergies.
- The fashion industry in particular is now heavily advertising the recyclability of polyester. However, studies show that recycled polyester releases up to 2.5 times more microfibers than virgin polyester
Sources:
- Boucher and Friot, Primary microplastics in the oceans: A global evaluation of sources, 2017
- https://textileexchange.org/app/uploads/2022/10/Textile-Exchange_PFMR_2022.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1719582963384929&usg=AOvVaw0Gy6DoytG1R49mXpkIptNq
-
“Plastic and Human Health: A Micro Issue?”, King’s College London, 2017; “SOURCES, FATE AND EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT: A GLOBAL ASSESSMENT”, UNESCO / Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection, 2016; “Weltweites Abwasserproblem Mikroplastik überfordert Kläranlagen. Lösungen sind weniger Plastikkonsum und umweltgerechte Textilproduktion”, BUND, 21.03.2017; “Microplastics in Seafood and the Implications for Human Health”, Madeleine Smith, David C. Love, Chelsea M. Rochman, Roni A. Neff, 2018; “Microplastics increase mercury bioconcentration in gills and bioaccumulation in the liver, and cause oxidative stress and damage in Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles”, Luís Gabriel Antão Barboza, Luís Russo Vieira, Vasco Branco, Cristina Carvalho, Lúcia Guilhermino, Oct 2018; King’s College London, 2017: “Plastic and Human Health: A Micro Issue?”
- https://de.hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/02/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics.html, https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/en/about-us/news/2023/news-in-april-2023/winzige-plastikpartikel-gelangen-auch-ins-gehirn, https://www.swr.de/wissen/mikroplastik-im-blut-auswirkungen-auf-den-koerper-100.html
- https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/our-sustainability-story/microfibers/
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future (2017)
- https://heatmap.news/economy/polyester-pet-plastic-14-dioxane
- İlkan Özkan & Sedat Gündoğdu: Investigation on the microfiber release under controlled washings from the knitted fabrics produced by recycled and virgin polyester yarns, 2020
