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Key actions for sustainable and circular textiles: Tackling microplastics pollution?

Microplastics pollution has become widespread in nature, including in the marine environment, and is a source of serious and growing concern. One of the main sources of unintentional release of microplastics are textiles made of synthetic fibres. It is estimated that about 60% of fibres used in clothing are synthetic, predominantly polyester, and this amount is growing.

As the highest amount of microplastics are released in the first 5 to 10 washes, fast fashion, which is associated with the growing use of fossil-based synthetic fibres, has a high impact on microplastic pollution. Up to 40,000 tonnes of synthetic fibres are released every year in the effluent of washing machines only.

The Commission plans to address the different lifecycle stages at which synthetic fibres are shed into the environment by a set of prevention and reduction measures, notably through binding design requirements to be introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, as well as under the forthcoming Commission initiative to address the unintentional release of microplastics in the environment, to be presented in the second half of 2022. In addition to product design, measures will target manufacturing processes, pre-washing at industrial manufacturing plants, labelling and the promotion of innovative materials. Further options include washing machine filters, which can cut by up to 80% the volume released from laundering, development of mild detergents, caretaking and washing guidelines, end-of-life textile waste treatment, and regulations for improved wastewater and sewage sludge treatment.

The Commission will take into account the ongoing standardisation work on the establishment of test methods to measure microplastics release from washing of synthetic textiles, as well as industry’s technological and technical capabilities.

 

Source: European Comission

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