SNP is urged to act on menace of plastic fibres
ACTION is needed to tackle tiny plastic fibres from clothes which are contaminating our seas and threatening wildlife, experts warn.
Scottish Government ministers have been urged to step up efforts to prevent the damage to the environment caused by microfibres from textiles.
A leading conservation charity supported by the Queen and Sir David Attenborough has called for urgent steps to tackle the problem, which it claims has been largely ignored by Government.
MSPs are also demanding that ministers bring together industry leaders to thrash out a solution.
Microfibres, normally less than 5mm (0.19ins) long, are released into the environment as plasticbased textiles are shed during production or maintenance, such as when clothes are washed.
They can cause huge damage to wildlife and there is growing evidence of them causing collecting in the bodies of birds and fish.
Solutions could include a reduction in the use of plastic-based materials by clothing producers or adding filters to washing machines.
Abigail Entwistle, director of conservation science and design at the charity Fauna & Flora International, said: ‘We could redesign fabrics from the bottom up to reduce shedding to try to tackle the problem. We would like to also see collaboration between sectors – the garment industry, textiles and washing machine manufacturers – to come up with solutions.
‘Government interest in this is very important in terms of industry and business keeping the urgency going. If they see the Government is taking a watching brief and may provide a solution that provides urgency and can help bring a solumicrobeads, tion by bringing people together.’
On average, it is estimated there is now 70kg (154lbs) of plastic in each square kilometre of sea bed.
The Government is already acting to tackle pollution caused by larger pieces of plastic, such as bottles, coffee cups and plastic-stemmed cotton buds. It has also banned typically used in cosmetics and cleaning products.
But campaigners say ministers need to go further and tackle the plastic fibre problem.
Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said: ‘The Scottish Government needs to recognise microfibres as a massive part of the pollution problem.
‘The Government needs to lead the conversation and bring the key players together. There needs to be an impetus on finding a solution and the Government looking at how it can bring that solution together.
‘Public awareness is low and this is a harder part of the marine plastics problem but it is also the most destructive part of the problem.’
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said it ‘is working internationally to better understand the issue of microfibres in our environment.
‘We have committed to hosting an international marine litter conference and will gather together members of the textile manufacture supply chain to explore options to reduce this source of pollution.’