Carpet made from Polypropolene, non toxic possible?
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One other thing, don't take carpets like car floor mats and such made of poly and hose them off outside because that is when the microplastics create problems as they are washed off.
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I have the WeatherTech liners in my vehicle, so I do not have carpeted mats to clean, but just where should the owners of these poly prop mats clean their mats?
I have the WeatherTech liners in my vehicle, so I do not have carpeted mats to clean, but just where should the owners of these poly prop mats clean their mats?
I was hoping those who are very concerned about micro plastics could answer that. I mean if the micro plastics from plastic trash bags is such a big deal and recognized researchers have pointed out the very real dangers of micro plastics from things like faux-fleece and such, surely the concerns should be equal unless of course it is only okay when the concern fits the argument.
Personally, I don't care where they'd wash them. I would say though that yours is the answer, a reliable, well designed, reusable car mat that can be recycled when it finally wears out which is probably after the car does.
Your use of WeatherTech is a very good example of better thinking. I use WeatherTech mats myself not just in the passenger areas in the truck but the cargo areas of my SUV as well. You won't find better at the price, I like them a lot.
The point is valid unless micro-plastics are only a concern when they come from one thing and not another. So I did about it.
The comments are valid because the question of toxicity was in the OP and while not harmful to humans unless ingested, it is harmful to the environment as cited in the numerous reports by qualified researchers.
Consider the topic and the material in question. Qualified researchers have stated in numerous reports, one of which I provided a link to in an earlier post, that the micro plastics in the faux fleece, car mats and such released into the water when washed pose a serious environmental concern.
While this isn't a thread about plastic bags, why is there a difference in the concerns? Notice the silence and absence of concern? An entire thread was started to talk about banning plastic bags and the very strenuous arguments put forth over it being the right thing to do because of the pollution they contribute was stated over and over. There was even a thread about a country banning plastic bags and held up as an example.
Ok, fine. Now here we have micro plastics that are being released into water supplies and the environment from other sources but not even a comment from those who adamantly complained about micro plastic from plastic bags.
It would appear that it all depends on who is causing the pollution, not the fact that the pollution is occurring.
Shouldn't the concern about micro-plastics in the environment be consistent regardless of the source, be it plastic bags or poly-fleeces, mats and other similar things made with those materials?
So where is the consistency? The poly carpets aren't toxic to humans but then neither are plastic bags yet one is demonized while the other is worn as clothing.
It is the harm to the environment or the convenience of the use of the polluting materials that dictates a position? It would seem it is convenience but only for certain people that matters.
Should not a concern of over some form of pollution be consistent from thread to thread. If not then how genuine are any of the concerns? Where are those who are so strongly opposed to plastic bags when it comes to the plastic fibers being washed into the water supply (which is a documented fact)?
Today is laundry day, among other things, and this thread popped into my mind as I was stripping my bed, washing my fleece blankets, washing my fleece PJ pants, and pulling on my fleece jacket and mittens to shovel off the few inches of powdery stuff that fell overnight. My kids wear fleece balaclavas when it get really cold.
Let's see....my dog's bed is covered by a fleece throw, which is easier to wash than his whole bed.
From where I am sitting right now, I count 4 fleece blankets thrown on various couches.
PeachSalsa, you really haven't figured this out yet? With all the clues?
How can anyone support as vehemently as has been done, bans on plastic bags to carry groceries because they deteriorate into mini and micro plastic and then say absolutely nothing about the micro plastics from poly fibers?
That would be like telling everyone they should be using electric cars not doing so yourself, just as an example.
You see, you're either for the reduction in plastics polluting the environment and being consistent in your position on the matter or all you're doing is saying whatever is convenient at the time.
The question in the OP was about poly fibers used in carpets and toxicity. If you read the thread and dug a little deeper around here, you'd clearly see how on the one hand it isn't a big deal but consider plastic grocery bags and suddenly the world is coming to an end because they degrade into small pieces, much the same as poly fibers.
The same people that scream about plastic bags have absolutely no problem with poly plastics in the very clothes they wear and in the end, cause the similar types of pollution simply by being washed.
you didn't pick up on that.
The poly fibers are harming the environment, that is a fact but many things do. But either you are supportive of eliminating them or reducing them in the environment or you say different things because one thing you don't like (plastic grocery bags) and the other you do (poly fleece clothing).
PS: You know, there is natural fiber fleece and then there is the poly fiber fleeces. If you were honestly concerned about the environment to the point of supporting the ban on plastic grocery bags, just which one would you think someone like that would buy - the poly fiber fleece or the natural fiber fleece which comes from a renewable source? Really, we hear about renewable this and that all the time yet for some reason, buying natural fiber fleece clothing instead isn't in the cards.
PeachSalsa, you really haven't figured this out yet? With all the clues?
How can anyone support as vehemently as has been done, bans on plastic bags to carry groceries because they deteriorate into mini and micro plastic and then say absolutely nothing about the micro plastics from poly fibers?
That would be like telling everyone they should be using electric cars not doing so yourself, just as an example.
You see, you're either for the reduction in plastics polluting the environment and being consistent in your position on the matter or all you're doing is saying whatever is convenient at the time.
The question in the OP was about poly fibers used in carpets and toxicity. If you read the thread and dug a little deeper around here, you'd clearly see how on the one hand it isn't a big deal but consider plastic grocery bags and suddenly the world is coming to an end because they degrade into small pieces, much the same as poly fibers.
The same people that scream about plastic bags have absolutely no problem with poly plastics in the very clothes they wear and in the end, cause the similar types of pollution simply by being washed.
you didn't pick up on that.
The poly fibers are harming the environment, that is a fact but many things do. But either you are supportive of eliminating them or reducing them in the environment or you say different things because one thing you don't like (plastic grocery bags) and the other you do (poly fleece clothing).
PS: You know, there is natural fiber fleece and then there is the poly fiber fleeces. If you were honestly concerned about the environment to the point of supporting the ban on plastic grocery bags, just which one would you think someone like that would buy - the poly fiber fleece or the natural fiber fleece which comes from a renewable source? Really, we hear about renewable this and that all the time yet for some reason, buying natural fiber fleece clothing instead isn't in the cards.
Oh, I get it! Oh, and by the way, I do NOT support the banning of plastic bags! No, not at all. In fact, I am the person who often will bag my items in a double plastic bag, just so I have more plastic bags available for my poop pickup with dog and cat litter boxes!
Personally, I reuse anywhere from 2-5 plastic bags per day. One for the cat boxes, and then depending on how many poos my dogs does on our walks...that's a lot of plastic bags!
Oh, I get it! Oh, and by the way, I do NOT support the banning of plastic bags! No, not at all. In fact, I am the person who often will bag my items in a double plastic bag, just so I have more plastic bags available for my poop pickup with dog and cat litter boxes!
Personally, I reuse anywhere from 2-5 plastic bags per day. One for the cat boxes, and then depending on how many poos my dogs does on our walks...that's a lot of plastic bags!
Exactly!!!
I am all in favor of manufacturers figuring out ways to make convenience products that just work better. Take the poly fiber issue for example. One solution isn't to stop making things like clothing out of poly fibers. Heck, that faux fleece is warm, comfortable and lightweight. Wool fleece is expensive and although it is a renewable resource, there aren't enough sheep to provide the necessary raw materials to meet demand.
What we need is common sense in the green movement and less ban everything. We can't get to where we have the lowest impact in the environment by banning everything because we didn't get to this point overnight. Bans take away choice. Intelligent choice and intelligent alternatives are much better.
If poly fibers are a problem, and that varies in degree depending on who is saying it is, one solution but not the only one is to find a way to produce the poly in such a manner that it doesn't get released in the water when washed. Then, filters on the water discharge from washers can be made to catch the fibers. Many washers don't even have filters but that is easily solved. While there will still be fibers in the filter, they can be disposed of far more easily in a green conscious way than just pumped them into the water supplies or the land.
We reuse almost all of our gray water. I noticed the birds would wait for the gray water discharge from the washing machine and they would pick out the loose fabric materials like frays and so on to use in their nests. That got me to thinking about this poly fiber thing. They'd pick them up to and possibly ingest them because they might be seen as food. Nevertheless, we have filters on all gray water discharge from the house and while the water isn't any cleaner, the materials that get flushed out are caught in the filter and disposed of as best practice allows.
There is simply no way to eliminate all synthetics from use just like we can't eliminate all use of fossil fuels within our lifetimes.
BTW, thanks for being one that picks up after their dogs. We had a walking path close by that got so littered with dog poop the country changed the ordinance or whatever and banned dogs from that walking path. A shame because all it would have taken was some education, perhaps a few disposal cans where people could throw away the dog poop in the plastic bags and everyone would have gotten along.
BTW, thanks for being one that picks up after their dogs. We had a walking path close by that got so littered with dog poop the country changed the ordinance or whatever and banned dogs from that walking path. A shame because all it would have taken was some education, perhaps a few disposal cans where people could throw away the dog poop in the plastic bags and everyone would have gotten along.
I view it as my responsibility as a good pet owner.
I sure would not like walking through other dogs' waste, so I will make sure to pick up mine.
The few times I've run into problems with that was when he gets the runs....really difficult to pick that up... I've gone grain-free now, and I think that has solved the issue.
Oh, the BTW...don't roll in the leaves along my favorite walking path...he likes to "mark" those leaves as his about every 50 ft or so with a quick dribble of urine.... - now they are covered in snow, so the markings are a lot more obvious, but I'd always inwardly cringe when I'd see people walking along kicking all those leaves....there's a lot of dog urine in those leaves!
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you didn't pick up on that. 
I've gone grain-free now, and I think that has solved the issue.
- now they are covered in snow, so the markings are a lot more obvious, but I'd always inwardly cringe when I'd see people walking along kicking all those leaves....there's a lot of dog urine in those leaves!
