Synthetic textile fibresin lakes, rivers, and the oceans: an overview

APPOLL Forum Mini Symposium, 29.11.2019

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Plastic production

• 85% plastic pellets (approx. 40% for packaging)• 65 million tonnes for textile fibres in 2016 (The Fiber Year 2017)

Plastics in the oceans

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• Overall plastics into the oceans: 4.8-12.7 mio tonnes / year (Jambeck et al. 2015)• 0.8-2.5 mio tonnes of primary microplastics / year (Boucher and Friot (2017)• 15-31% of plastics into the oceans = primary microplastics Boucher and Friot (2017)• 4.83 trillions of microplastic particles afloat in the oceans (Eriksen et al. 2014)

• 98% of losses from land-based activities• Almost 50% end up in the oceans

Boucher and Friot (2017)

Primary microplastics

Boucher and Friot (2017)

Boucher and Friot (2017)

Henry et al., Science of the Total Environment (652), 2019

Pathways of synthetic textile fibres into the environment

European river export of microplastics to the sea

Siegfried et al., Water Research (127), 2017

Microplastics in Swiss freshwater systems

Lake of Geneva

• Plastic input 55 tonnes / year• Almost 62% microplastics• 4% synthetic textile fibres• 10% outflow to the Rhone river

Boucher et al., Trends in Analytical Chemistry (112), 2019

Cabernard et al., Aqua & Gas No. 7/8, 2016

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Microplastics in Swiss freshwater systems

Effluents intowater bodies in the Canton Zürich after wastewatertreatment

MERMAIDS EU Life+ project

Minimization & prevention

• Optimize fabric and clothing production methods.

• Solutions to capture and dispose of fibers in washing machines.

• Update of wastewater treatment plants.

life-marmaids.eu

Current possibilities to avoid synthetic textile microfibres

• Avoid synthetic textiles• Washing bag• Laundry ball• Water filter for washing machine

planetcare.org

coraball.com

guppyfriend.com

Thank you for your attention

Bildquelle: Silvia Frey