BONN - The production and household washing of sportswear such as fleece jackets and running gear results in around 10 tons of textile microplastics being released into the environment in Germany every year, according to the findings of a three-year-long research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
The project’s finding suggest that textiles made from synthetic materials such as polyester are a major source of the country’s microplastic pollution problem. And only a unified strategy which includes policy makers and industry stakeholders from across the supply chain will make it possible to reduce emission.