Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn't break down nearly as quickly as hoped:
Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Over 100 million tons of plastic enters the environment each year, with more than 10 million tons ending up in our oceans. These plastics break down into harmful microplastic particles so small they can be consumed by wildlife.
We all recognize discarded bottles and bags as plastic waste. But the synthetic fibers that are woven into our clothing—polyester, nylon, acrylic and others—are equally problematic. Every year, more than 60 million tons of plastic fabric is produced, a considerable amount of which ultimately finds it way to landfill.
One promising approach to tackle this crisis is the use of "biodegradable" plastics. These plastics are designed to break down naturally into gases and water, which are then released back into the environment without causing long-lasting damage.
But the reality of biodegradable plastic (or "bioplastic") falls short of meeting our expectations. New research, led by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, has found that a popular bioplastic material called polylactic acid does not break down in the environment nearly as quickly as hoped.
[...] The plastic pollution that stems from clothing is a particularly tricky area. Clothes are often not recycled or even recyclable, and they release tiny plastic fibers into the environment through gradual wear and tear.
[...] No matter how the plastic enters the environment, solutions are needed to tackle plastic pollution. Biodegradable plastics are one potential option, but only if they are made from materials that are truly able to break down quickly in the natural environment. They would reduce the time in which plastic materials spend in the environment.
As with conventional plastics, though, bioplastics must still be disposed of correctly. But research has found that the labels and instructions on many biodegradable products are often confusing and misleading. In a study of 9,701 UK citizens, many reported not having understood the meaning of the labels of degradable, compostable and biodegradable plastics.
This could lead to biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics being disposed of incorrectly. Plastic that is released into the environment may not decompose, and will instead break down into small pieces of microplastic.
Polylactic acid can break down in specialized industrial composting plants. But even then, not all composting processes can handle every type of bioplastic. The plastic material has to meet specific criteria and produce compost of a minimum standard.
As the world uses more biodegradable plastic, we need to make sure this material's environmental footprint is minimized. With that in mind, improving labeling and disposal instructions and improving access to industrial composting could all help.
Journal Reference:
Sarah-Jeanne Royer et al, Not so biodegradable: Polylactic acid and cellulose/plastic blend textiles lack fast biodegradation in marine waters [open], PLOS ONE (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284681
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 02 2023, @03:41AM (1 child)
That lots of clothing fibers are released from washing machines are because the stuff is breaking down too fast. If it didn't break down so fast it would be releasing a lot fewer fibers right?
I remember my made in 1990 socks lasting much longer than my made in 2020 socks.
Also if clothes are stuck in a landfill they'd be locking up carbon. Why would you want your clothes to be breaking down and/or releasing CO2?
How many of you are throwing your clothes into the environment (roads, oceans etc) to kill wildlife?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2023, @05:57PM
Does having it disintegrate like that really better for the environment? Doesn't that create even more plastic particles?