If its synthetic, the microfibres persist in the environment. An estimated12-21 million tonnes of waste – including fibers shed from synthetic textiles – was removed from the top 200 meters of water, as per the National Oceanography Centre in UK, which published its research on measurements of micro plastics in the Atlantic Ocean.
The horrific fact has brought in extra keen focus on how the microfibres in the waste water are not completely filtered out by sewage treatment plants and hence end up in the major water bodies ultimately.
TUV Rheinland, as a responsible member of the UN Global Compact since 2006, promotes sustainability. In this context, TUV Rheinland has extended support to the member of The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) to enhance understanding of fibre shedding from textiles during washing.
In June 2020, the TMC had approved TUV Rheinland’s textile testing laboratories in Shenzhen and Shanghai, China, to carry out tests for the TMC member organizations. It will help quantify fibre release from fabrics during domestic washing.
“As an approved test house for TMC members, TUV Rheinland can now support testing starting with textile manufacturing and also the entire product lifecycle to ensure sustainable product development,” says Heather Ball, In-charge, Textile Testing, TUV Rheinland (Western Europe).
A commercial launch is slated to follow in time.
TMC, founded in 2018, is a growing network of research institutes, retailers, manufacturers and policy makers. It facilitates the development of doable solutions to reduce fibre fragmentation and contamination of natural resources.
TUV Rheinland is one of the world’s leading testing service providers. The organization tests technical systems and products for textile businesses, supports innovations and certifies management systems according to international standards.
Blurb:
Microfibres released during washing pollute the environment considerably.
