Microplastic pollution

originating from Textiles and Paints:

Environmental impacts and solutions

Marijana Toben

BUND-Meeresschutzbüro

Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND)

Types of fibers

• Natural (wool, cotton, hemp, jute)

• Man-made (transformed natural

poymers/ synthetic polymers)

• The most important are:

Acrylic

Polyamide

Polyester

Polyolefins

Elastane

UHMwPE

Fibers in the environment

• World consumption: 42.534 Ktons/year of plastic

• Release during the laundry process has been reported as source for

microplastic. Global release: 34.8% will be released due to laundry

• One of the most common forms of microplastic in the marine

environment.

• Due to abrasion and shedding of textiles, fibers will be discharged to the

effluent and then reach via wastewater the WWTPs.

• Dominate in abundance among fragments and spheres in the marine

environment.

Fibers in the environment

• Synthetic fibers were found in sediments, water column and biota.

• 63% of the water samples collected from coastal and open waters of the

Baltic Sea contained colored fibers in concentrations from 0.07 to 2.6

items per liter..

• Coastal waters showed to be more contaminated than open-sea waters.

This indicates that synthetic fibers are predominately a land based

source.

• Concentration showed to be positively correlating with population density.

WWTPs

BUND

• Synthetic fibers can not be removed completly and can potentially end up

in the ocean.

• Synthetic fibers will be less retained from WWTPs then natural fibers.

• High variances in fiber concentration between WWTPs depending on

efficiency.

• Polyester fibers were the most abundant.

Shedability of textiles

• Fiber shedding is depending on fiber slippage, coating point rapture or

fiber breakage.

• Extent for fiber shedding depends on different variables (e.g. fabric type,

texture, number of fiber types involved)

• A study tested three different fabrics: polyester, polyester-cotton blend and

acrylic:

Polyester: 1st wash (2.79 mg) to 5th wash (1.63 mg).

Acrylic: 1st wash (2.63 mg) to 4th (0.99 mg).

Polyester cotton blend: 1st (0.45 mg) to 4th (0.30 mg).

• higher fiber release was found when fabric conditioner was used.

Solutions

1. Permant washing machine filters

• Since on-board filters for washing

machines are not yet implemented,

a temporary solution can be self-

installing washing machine filter

e.g. Filtrol 160.

• As long term solution should be

aimed for on-board filters for

washing machines provided by the

industry.

2. Industrial prewash

• The first wash schowed to relase

the highest amount of small sized

fibers.

• During the yarn spinning process,

short fibers will be embedded in the

textile and washed out later.

• Mandantory prewash from the

indutry with high effiency filters

could prevent that large amount of

fibers will reach the household

effluent.

Solutions

3. WWTPs

• How much microplastic will be

found depends on the efficiency of

the WWTPs.

• Tertiary filtration step with a pile

cloth media filtration. Particles with

the size ˃500 µm were reduced to

100%, particles ˂ 500 µm to 92.8%

and fibers to 98.2%

• The implementation could retain

synthetic fibers very efficiently.

4. Laundry process and washing

maschine model

• Mechanical and chemical actions during

washing weaken fiber structure with a

progressive damage.

• The higher the temperature, the higher

is also the destruction of the material.

• Higher fiber release for the top-load

than front-load machines.

• Clothes should be washed less often

and with gentle washing conditions and

a front load is recommended.

Solutions

5. Guppy friend

• The bag holds back synthetic fibers

from clothing during washing and

prevents microfibers from entering into

rivers and oceans. Its soft surface

results in less fiber loss and thus

extends clothing lifetime.

• It should be used especially for recently

bought synthetic clothing.

6. Second-hand clothing, consume

reduction and clothing design

• Change consumption behavior

• Fewer clothing and if so, of better

quality/ give defect clothing to the

tailor.

• Second-hand shops and exchange

platforms.

• Combination of polyester-cotton

released 80 % less fibers than acrylic

and polyester.

Recommendations

Industry

• ‘Green chemistry/Green economy’

initiatives – making fibers free of

petrochemical or synthetic ingredients.

• International regulations on WWTPs for

an additional filtration step.

• Prewash of recently produced clothing

by the industry with high efficiency

filters.

• Implementation of on-board filters for

washing machines

Society

Wash less often, with lower

temperatures and mild washing

conditions.

Use a front load washing machine.

Use the guppy friend especially for

synthetic and recently bought clothing.

Self-installing washing machine filters.

Give defect clothing to the tailor

instead of throwing away and buying

new ones.

Avoid clothing that contain 100%

polyester or acrylic fibers; instead buy

a combination of polyester-cotton

fabric.

Reduce consumption.

Paints/Coatings• Coatings and paints are used in a wide range of applications

• Surface coating: a material that is applied as a thin continuous layer to

a surface. Paint: pigmented materials.

• Emulsions or dispersion polymers describe a process or end

product of polymerizing addition monomers in water in the presence of

surfactant.

• The paint consists of a binder, pigments, filler and other additives -

which make the paint when cured like a plastic material.

• Binders determine the application method, drying and hardening

behavior, adhesion to the substrate, mechanical components, chemical

resistance and resistance to weathering.

Paint particles

• Paints are dispersions of sub-micrometer polymer particles and their

release into the environment can be harmful for marine organisms.

• The uptake of microplastic of various shapes has been documented

for many marine organisms.

• Release pathways into the environment are abrasion/weathering or

the loss of particles during application before the paint is cured.

• Weathering and abrasion will make the paint brittle over time - the

paint surface roughens and paint particles (very thin microlayers) peel

off - and will be released into the environment.

Road markings

• World consumption: 588 Ktons/year

• Global release: 7%

• Different paints will be applied e.g. Acrylic

Polymer and Styrene/Acrylic Polymer.

• Used for travel lanes, loading zones, and

parking spaces etc.

• The degradation and removal of road

markings depends on several different

factors.

• Pathways to the sea are either road runoff

or the transportation by wind. For wind, 100

% of the losses will also become releases.

• World consumption: 452 Ktons/year

• Global release: 3.7% .

• 100% of the losses will also become

releases.

• Commercial boats: 3 – 9% and for leisure

boats:10 – 50%. The proportion of plastic in

those paints accounts for 50%.

• A typical marine paint contains above 50%

solids.

• Marine coatings enter the marine

environment straight by the sea pathway or

from land by paint spill or removal.

Paints for buildings

• Corrosion/ decomposition/ decorative

appearance

• Weathering leads to a peel off of small

paints particles (especially UV-

irradiation).

• Paint may be sanded or scratched off by

maintenance (re-painting). Flakes

generated by sanding are typically of size

below 10 µm.

• Possible pathways to the sea are sewer

and air.

Types of paints and coatings

• Synthetic polymers in paints exhibit a range of molecular masses.

• Increasing molecular mass is accompanied by improved mechanical

properties, a decrease in solubility, and an increase in the viscosity of

their solutions. Whereof, a higher molecular mass comes also along with

a decreasing environmental compatibility.

• Organic binding agents are polymer emulsions which make the paint

stick to the surface. It adheres by the physical process of adhesive

bonding.

• Molecular masses between 500 and 3000.

• High mass e.g. polyacrylate, vinyl chloride copolymers

• Low mass e.g. alkyd resins, epoxy resins

Types Appliance/Function

Chlorinate rubber coatings Underwater coatings

Vinyl coatings Polishing agents, weather-

resistant coatings

Thermoplastic

Fluoropolymers

Binder for indoor and outdoor

paints, textured finishes

Polystyrene and Styrene

Copolymers

Exterior paints, concrete,

road-marking

Acrylic coatings Ceilings, walls, building fronts

Epoxy Surface coatings

Polyurethane coatings Surface coatings

Silicon coatings Surface coatings

Alkyd coatings Corrosion protection,

decoration

Alternatives

• Most environmental friendly paints put their focus on low-VOC, low-odour

and non-toxic ingredients but not on substituting synthetic polymers.

• Biodegradable polymers are not a long-term solution since the degradation

is only ensured under laboratory conditions.

• Factors to induce degradation are temperatures, light, oxygen and

microorganisms which are not always present in sufficient amount.

• Natural paints are made with raw materials such as clay, chalk, marble, and

earth and mineral pigments free of petrochemical or synthetic ingredients.

Alternatives

• Inorganic binding agents are on mineral basis e.g. potassium silicate. It

reacts chemically with the substrate by the process of silification. Extremely

weather-resistant and forms a solid base.

• Pure silicate paints are used in renovation of historical buildings. High

resistent and UV-stable due to the permantely integrated pigments. The

paint vibrancy is maintaned for longer, surface does not become chalky and

becomes less dirty.

• Ecofriendly marine coatings does not really exist. Novel antifouling

coatings are derived from marine bacteria and biodegrable polymers but

this can only be a temporary solution.

• Ecofriendly road-marking does also not really exist. Change from solvent-

borne to water-borne polymer dispersions.

Recommendations

‘Green chemistry/Green economy’ initiatives

The application of environmental friendly paints should be mandatory for all

sectors.

New buildings should be painted with pure silicate paints and no more with

polymer dispersions.

Waste water treatment systems need to be mandatory for all shipyards. The

contaminated water must be treated before being discharged.

Washing water effluents from sandblasting or high pressure wash are not

allowed to be directed directly to the nearby sea.

Non do-it-yourself maintenance of houses and ships at private property or

onshore. Here, particle loose will become 100% releases. Proper particle

disposal must be ensured.

Thank you for your attention!

BUND Meeresschutzbüro

Nadja Ziebarth, Tel. +49 421 79002 – 32 nadja.ziebarth@bund-bremen.net

Marijana Toben, Tel. +49 421 79002 – 0 marijana.toben@bund.net

https://www.bund.net/mikroplastik

BUND Landesverband Bremen e.V.

Am Dobben 44

28203 Bremen