Hohenstein Reveals Progress on Textile Microfiber Project

Ecotextile News

Germany’s Hohenstein Institute has embarked on a multi-year investigation into the impact of industrial laundering on the types of microplastic fibers appearing in waste streams and the environment.

The test laboratory and research center decided to delve into the topic after a 2012 European Commission study reported that tiny plastic fragments, less than 1 millimeter in size, were being swept from laundry wastewater into the marine ecosystem.

Although microplastics have been throwing a wrench into everything from wastewater treatment plants to the food chain, detailed analyses have been few and far between, according to Jan Beringer, head of research and development at Hohenstein Institute’s department of function and care.

Speaking at a seminar at Texworld U.S.A. in New York City on Wednesday, Beringer noted that no formal definition for “microplastics” currently exists.


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