Effect of Textile Processing on Water Pollution
Sienna Gee ’25
Natalie Poole ’25
Right now, the textile industry contributes to around $2000 billion and over 120 million jobs worldwide while continuing to grow exponentially (Kishor et al., 2021). As a result of the increase in textile processing, water pollution has become a more prominent issue.
Most clothing items are made out of polyester and nylon, which slowly disintegrate through wash and use. Laundering, dyeing, and finishing textiles and other clothing products releases microplastics into the water, as “a single laundry load of polyester clothes can discharge 700,000 microplastic fibers that can end up in the food chain” (EPRS, 2020). These microplastic fibers are then consumed by wildlife, and subsequently by humans who eat seafood. In addition, cloth dye can release textile ink into nearby water bodies; as the world’s water systems are interconnected, the harmful chemicals that compose these inks then enter rivers and oceans, further affecting both wildlife and humans. For instance, in India, the polluted groundwater contains bacteria that give individuals diseases such as typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, E. coli, dysentery, and salmonella” (India, 2021).
Through biological treatments, the impact of textile production on water pollution can be ameliorated. Various types of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae can collectively decolorize, degrade, detoxify, and mineralize an array of wastewater pollutants (Kishor et al., 2021). When used together, algae can remove toxins from water such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and dissolved carbon, while different types of bacteria work to break the chemical bonds of different dyes present in the water. Another solution can be seen in an initiative by Waste2Fresh, a project funded by the EUH2020 – an EU-based research and innovation program lasting from 2014 to 2020 – whose goal was to “create a system that gives factories the ability to reuse water indefinitely” (O’Donnell, 2022). As recycling water allows textile factories to reuse water, this process greatly decreases the amount of waste created. In addition, as consumers, we can purchase clothing items from sustainable brands or thrift stores instead of common fast-fashion brands like Shein and Zara, as such brands maximize economic gain at the expense of environmental harm.
Ultimately, although many problems caused by the fashion industry towards water pollution are irreversible, many programs are arising to rid our oceans, lakes, and rivers of the microplastics, dyes, and chemicals from textiles. By actively purchasing items from brands that match our moral consciousness, we can also mitigate the environmental effects of the textile industry and contribute to cleaner and safer waters for all life.
References
Horizon 2020. (2020). Research and Innovation. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-
opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-2020_en
India, in. (2021, September 27). Quenched. Quenched. https://www.quenched.org/blog-entries/the-effects-of-water-pollution-in-
india#:~:text=Industrial%20Pollution.,water%2Dintensive%20industries%20as%20well
Kishor, R., Purchase, D., Saratale, G. D., Saratale, R. G., Ferreira, L. F. R., Bilal, M., Chandra, R., & Bharagava, R. N. (2021a).
Ecotoxicological and health concerns of persistent coloring pollutants of textile industry wastewater and treatment approaches for environmental safety. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(2), 105012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.105012
Kishor, R., Purchase, D., Saratale, G. D., Saratale, R. G., Ferreira, L. F. R., Bilal, M., Chandra, R., & Bharagava, R. N. (2021b).
Ecotoxicological and health concerns of persistent coloring pollutants of textile industry wastewater and treatment approaches for environmental safety. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(2), 105012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.105012
O’Donnell, D. (2022, April 25). Water Waste in the Textile Industry & Environmental Impacts - Sensorex. Sensorex.
https://sensorex.com/2022/04/25/water-waste-textile-industry-environmental-impacts/
The. (2020). The impact of textile production and waste on the environment (infographic) | News | European Parliament. Europa.eu.
