Scientists and manufacturers are looking for ways to keep synthetic microfibers from getting into the environment in the first place. In 2013, ecologist Mark Anthony Browne presented the results of some unsettling research to leaders from a handful of major apparel brands, including Nike, Polartec (a major supplier of polyester fleece) and Patagonia.
In the years since Browne first approached the apparel industry, numerous additional studies have shown that synthetic microfibers shed by clothing and other manufactured products are being ingested by fish and shellfish, and can be found in food, drinks, and even air. It’s still unclear whether microfibers pose a real threat to the health of humans or other living things. Yet, under the specter that they might, academic, nonprofit and apparel industry scientists have started to look at ways to stem the flow of microfibers into the environment.
Developing a clear understanding of the extent and consequences of microfiber pollution—and what can be done to mitigate any negative impacts—is going to take meaningful, long-term collaboration among scientists, policy-makers, appliance manufacturers and the entire textile industry. But consumers may ultimately be the key.
Date: July 20, 2018
Image: Google Images
Coordinator: EnvGuide Team (Yue Cao, Hengwei Fu, Nanzhu Li)
Source: http://www.eco-business.com/news/as-synthetic-microfibres-infiltrate-food-water-and-air-how-can-we-prevent-future-release/