Polluting Textiles

This book examines the critical issue of environmental pollutants produced by the textiles industry. Comprised of contributions from environmental scientists and materials and textiles scientists, this edited volume addresses the environmental impact of microplastics, with a particular focus on microfibres released by textiles into marine and freshwater environments. The chapters in Part I offer environmental perspectives focusing on the measurement of microplastics in the environment, their ingestion by small plankton and larger filter feeders, the effects of consuming microplastics, and the role of microplastics as a vector for transferring toxic contaminants in food webs. Written by environmental and material scientists, the chapters in Part II present potential solutions to the problem of microplastics released from textiles, discussing parameters of influence, water treatment, degradation in aquatic environments, textile end-of-life management, textile manufacturing and laundry, and possible policy measures. This is a much needed volume which brings together in one place environmental research with technical solutions in order to provide a cohesive and practical approach to mitigating and preventing environmental pollution from the textiles industry going forward. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental conservation and management, environmental pollution and environmental chemistry and toxicology, sustainability, as well as students and scholars of material and textiles science, textile engineering and sustainable manufacturing.

This first of this set of books presents the various sustainable approaches in terms of circular economy and micro plastic pollution pertaining to the textiles and fashion supply chain. Sustainability is one of the important aspects in today’s industrial context, which is followed by every industrial sector with no exception to textiles and fashion. Sustainability and strict adherence to the principles of sustainability has become one of the essential needs in industry. There are countless measures in terms of various approaches to make the textiles and fashion sector sustainable. These measures, but not limited to, range from innovating and implementing new fibres and raw materials, introducing innovative manufacturing methods, chemicals, processes to focus on all the possible stages of a textile product’s life cycle from cradle to grave. These approaches include making the textiles and fashion sector circular and also development of new products from sustainable raw materials/processes or combination of both.

Environmental impact of textiles examines what effects all phases of textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended. It looks at the physical environment affected by these processes, including resource depletion, pollution and energy use; the biological environment, by considering what happens as a result of manufacture, and the social environment as it impinges on our psychological, physical and physiological comfort, as well as our financial well-being. It pulls together a wide range of examples drawn from a diverse collection of sources and integrates them to form a new and coherent set of ideas. This comprehensive approach has not been undertaken before and has never previously been associated with textile production and use. In addition to its analysis of the environmental impact of textile manufacturing activity, the book also considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment whether by air pollution, wind, water and other agents. Environmental impact of textiles provides a complete survey of how developments in the textile industry and consumers of its products have affected the environment in the past. The book also covers recent solutions adopted by the industry in the hope that some alleviation of the problems can be achieved without sacrificing high textile production targets and the ways in which the industry is responding to the environmental challenge. It will be an essential reference for anyone involved and concerned with its future environmental footprint. Examines the effects textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended Looks at how the physical environment is affected by textile production processes, including resource depletion, pollution, energy use and the biological environment Considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment by air pollution, wind, water and other agents

Textile materials shed microfibres during different phases of their life cycle. While much attention has been paid to the impact of microplastics on the environment, there has been less focus on the impact of microfibre pollution, which also poses a serious environmental threat. Microfibre Pollution from Textiles: Research Advances and Mitigation Strategies shines a light on the hidden effects of textile microfibre pollution and examines its generation in manufacturing, use including laundering, and disposal. It details advancements and gaps in the quantification and characterization techniques that are emerging in the growing field of study of microfibre pollution in textile technology. The book Examines the contributions of the textile and fashion industries to microfibre pollution, from production to disposal Reviews recently developed methods and technological advancements in the identification and quantification of microfibres from textiles Addresses emerging sustainable mitigation strategies and sustainable textile production methods that can potentially reduce or eliminate microfibre shedding Details the state-of-the-art on existing regulations and standards and provides scope for future research in the area of standard development By bridging the gap between environmental and textile studies, this book is aimed at researchers and advanced students in textile and environmental science and engineering.

Textile dyes enhance our environment, bringing colour into our lives. The current range of dyes have been developed to withstand environmental effects, such as degradation by exposure to light and water. However, the industry involved with the application of dyes to textiles has a responsibility to ensure that potential for harm to the environment, for example through residues in waste-streams, and to the consumer is minimised. Written by an international team of contributors, this collection reviews current legislation and key technologies which make textile dyeing more efficient and environmentally friendly. The book begins by detailing European and US legislation relating to textile dyeing. Further chapters cover toxicology, environmentally responsible application of dyes and supercritical fluid textile dyeing. The book concludes with chapters on the reduction of pollution and minimisation of waste, the re-use of spent dyebath, chemical treatment of dye effluent and biotechnological treatment of dye effluent. Environmental aspects of textile dyeing is a standard reference source for manufacturers concerned with developing a sustainable industry. Crucial guide to minimising harmful effects on environment and the consumer Reviews current technologies and European and US legislation Essential for all textile manufacturers

Textile processing industry is characterised not only by the large volume of water required for various unit operations, but also by the variety of chemicals used for various processes. There is a long sequence of wet processing stages requiring input of water, chemical and energy and generating wastes at each stage. Any industrial activity causes pollution in one form or the other and so is the textile industry. The textile industry is a significant contributor to many national economies, encompassing both small and large-scale operations worldwide. Textile processing generates many waste streams, including liquid, gaseous and solid wastes, some of which may be hazardous. Several measures for pollution control in textile industry are discussed in detail including ‘End-of-pipe’ technologies for wastewater treatment. This book on pollution control in textile industry summarises various aspects of pollution control and is divided into 19 chapters. This edition discusses: enzymatic treatment of wastewater containing dyestuffs, degradation of toxic dyes, biological methods of removal of dyes from textile effluents, water conservation in textile industry, recovery of dyes and chromium from textile industry, zero liquid discharge in textile industry, pollution prevention in jute industry and wastes minimisation in textile industry. A unique feature of the book are the chapters on carbon foot print and energy conservation in textile industry. Finally the role of nanotechnology for the removal of dyes and effluents in also discussed.

Assessing the Environmental Impact of Textiles and the Clothing Supply Chain, Second Edition, is a fully updated, practical guide on how to identify and respond to environmental challenges across the supply chain. This new edition features updates to important data on environmental impacts and their measurements, the sustainable use of water and electricity, and new legislation, standards and schemes. Chapters provide an introduction to the textile supply chain and an overview of the methods used to measure environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy footprints, and a lifecycle assessment (LCA) on environmental impacts. This book will be a standard reference for R&D managers in the textile industry and academic researchers in textile science. Provides a holistic view of the sustainability issues that affect the textile value chain Explains ways to calculate the textile industry’s use of resources, its impact on global warming, and the pollution and waste it generates Reviews key methods for the reduction of the environmental impact of textile products and how they are implemented in practice Includes methods for calculating product carbon footprints (PCFs), ecological footprints (EFs) and lifecycle assessments (LCA)