A team of US researchers have developed a chemical-processing technique that can break down old textiles into reusable polyester, according to a study (pdf). The technique — called microwave-assisted glycolysis — can be used to reduce waste in the textile industry where less than 1% of material is recycled and almost 75% ends up in landfills or incinerated. Upon development, the new process could recycle 88% of clothing worldwide, the research concluded.

How it works: The chemical process can break down 90% of polyester into a molecule called BHET which can be used to make more polyester textiles. The reaction does not impact cotton, which allows polyester-cotton blends to be recycled as well. The process takes around 15 minutes — a lot more cost-effective than other methods that can take days — and works on a variety of other textiles including nylon and spandex.

Better than mechanical recycling: The chemical processing technique is able to break down fabrics with different compositions which overcomes a problem mechanical recycling techniques encounter where they struggle to separate multi-fibre textiles into reusable products, the study explains.

They’re still working out the kinks: Some polyester materials — that are dyed or treated — produced lower levels of BHET making it harder to recover. The research team is working to optimize the results and reduce the processing time down to mere seconds.

REMEMBER- Textile waste is a growing problem: Textile waste averages some 4 mn tons annually in the EU, and in the US reached 17 mn tons in 2018 — an 80% increase above levels recorded in 2000.

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