Tag: water pollution

#5: A Deadly Passion for Fashion

AliciaThe Problem

Another commodity in our daily lives is the very clothes on our back. Not only do we rely greatly on them for basic cover and warmth, they also demonstrate socio-economic status and personal identity. However, with the advent of fast fashion trends, we have come to consume much more clothing than we need, often even discarding pieces of clothing after one or two times of use. How much pollution does fast fashion really produce? Let’s explore some of the fashion industry’s ugliest effects.

 

In Production:

As shown in the video above investigating the working conditions and surrounding environments of tanneries in Dhaka, there is large scale pollution of the communal river and water supply with chemicals such as chromium, which are used in treating leather hides. Nearby residents are chronically exposed to such chemicals because they cannot afford to buy water or fish from unpolluted locations. They are also in direct contact with the chemicals when they work in the tanneries, as well as when they use the river water for cleaning. This is merely one example of how, in places with poor regulation of industrial waste, textile and leather industries are able to excessively pump dye chemicals into the air and water. Using only chromium (often used in tanneries and in paints and dyes) as an example, chronic exposure can result in:

  • Increased chance of cancer in the respiratory tract
  • Respiratory irritation
  • Severe skin illnesses and scarring
  • Liver abnormalities

 

Moreover, you may be surprised to find out that in order to produce 1 cotton T-shirt, 2700 litres of water is needed. You can find out more about the textile industry’s usage of water by watching this mini-documentary here.

This is an excessive wastage of a resource necessary for every living being in the world. Not only does this demonstrate the textile industry’s inefficient usage of the resource, but at the same time highlights the contamination of that same resource.

 

In Disposal

Shockingly, one garbage truck volume equivalent of clothing is dumped or burned in a landfill every second and the fashion industry’s carbon emissions make up 10% of the global total, with fashion companies on average burning 30% of their total stock produced (McFall-Johnsen, 2019). Such emissions contribute greatly to air pollution worldwide, particularly with the increasingly high turnover rates of clothing in stores and subsequent shorter time before excess clothing enters the dump. 

 

Aside from such air pollution, water is another natural resource rampaged by the fashion industry. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) approximates that 35% of all oceanic microplastics are due to synthetic textiles from clothing, particularly polyester, which is non-biodegradable in water bodies. Such microplastics eventually reach the ocean such as through the release of water from washing clothes and can be absorbed by aquatic organisms and humans as well. Several thousand additives are used by the plastic industry and thus such absorption and the ambiguity surrounding the toxicity of microplastics is worrying. Furthermore, the risk of ingesting other harmful chemicals and organisms attached to the plastic (pathogenic bacteria and viruses for instance), are another concern. Microplastics are still very much a new area of research and the continual release of them from the fashion industry specifically remains unchecked and prevalent. 

 

Many young adults our age are passionate about fashion and self-expression, and should such passion go towards holding the fashion industry accountable for their environmental impacts as well, much can be done to change the tide. If you are interested in learning more about both the fast fashion industry and its counter – the slow fashion movement, do check out the content below:

 

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For a local fashion industry heavily reliant on off-shore manufacturing, budget wholesale distribution and importing finished goods, what does fashion revolution mean when applied to the context of Singapore? . Are we prepared for the imperative shift that is required on a much larger scale and get down and dirty to rally change for systemic issues? Are we equipped with the knowledge and resilience to scale Fashion Revolution to a local context? . I am feeling optimistic today. As we thread carefully with respect and dignity for the world, how can fashion be represented ethically and fairly? . What does fashion revolution in Singapore mean to you? #fashionrevolutionweek #fashionrevolution #fashionrevolutionsingapore #noordinaryprotest

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Authors: Alicia Tiu and Madeleine Shutler

 

References

Environmental Health and Medicine Education. (2008). Retrieved July 03, 2020, from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=10

McFall-Johnsen, M. (2019, October 21). The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet. Retrieved July 05, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10 

WWF. (2013). The Impact of a Cotton T-Shirt. Retrieved July 03, 2020, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-impact-of-a-cotton-t-shirt

#4: The Toxic Cell

AliciaThe Problem

Whether it is the production of pollutants from directly using said common household items or production of pollution as a byproduct in manufacturing, it is time to uncover the specific hidden sources of pollutants in our homes. Today’s focus will be on batteries: especially lithium rechargeable batteries, which we use daily in our mobile phones and laptops, as well as in cars.

 

The Problem with Lithium-ion Batteries 

Ever heard reminders to properly dispose of your lithium-ion batteries in recycling boxes and collection points? You’d probably think that it’s because of the battery’s potential to explode, as shown by the many videos of Samsung phones bursting into flames. However, the real environmental danger lies in the fumes and toxic materials released by reactions within the lithium battery. Toxic gases such as CO, CO2 and Hydrogen fluoride (HF) are produced when lithium batteries react with humidity and heat. HF, in particular, is extremely corrosive and is a severe irritant. In contact with moisture, HF converts to hydrofluoric acid. It can cause prolonged damage to the eyes, respiratory system, as well as the skin. If you are interested in finding more about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries as well as how it is being recycled, do check out the video below:

 

Impacts on Water Bodies

Apart from the direct harmful impacts on human health, leakage of these gases (CO2, HF) promotes acidification of the environment. Once in the atmosphere, these gases can be transported by winds, and eventually deposited in nearby water bodies during storm events. Upon contact with water, HF will convert into hydrofluoric acid, and CO2 also dissolves to form carbonic acid. Both of these chemicals wreak havoc on the water body, by:

  • binding to Phosphorus, reducing the availability of the nutrients for aquatic plants and phytoplankton,
  • killing off more pH-sensitive aquatic organisms,
  • causing the water to become more transparent and result in increased UV damage,
  • causing bleaching of coral reefs and deformity of molluscs.

 

Byproducts in Production

Not only do the improper disposal of batteries create pollutants in the environment, but its mass production is also problematic. The main component in lithium-ion batteries is lithium metal, and the metal is locked in as salts in salt flats. 500,000 gallons of water is required to produce one tonne of lithium. The groundwater below salt flats in Chile is pumped to the surface, flushing out salts and minerals from the lower strata. The water is allowed to evaporate on the surface, leaving lithium salt sediments for collection. This severely depletes the water table. Moreover, the extraction of groundwater also creates the potential for contaminants to be introduced into the groundwater. This poses problems to nearby humans twofold. Not only is the water supply for agriculture and daily use disrupted, but the remaining water supply is also likely polluted with chemicals.

 

Author: Alicia Tiu

 

References

Larsson, F., Andersson, P., Blomqvist, P., & Mellander, B. (2017). Toxic fluoride gas emissions from lithium-ion battery fires. Scientific Reports, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09784-z.

National Research Council (US) Subcommittee on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels.. (2004). Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals. Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals, 4. https://doi.org/10.17226/10902.

Katwala, A. (2018). The spiralling environmental cost of our lithium battery addiction. Retrieved July 01, 2020, from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lithium-batteries-environment-impact.