Textile circularity: cotton fields ‘swallow up’ textile waste
A
12-month trial on a cot-
these garments in soil rather than landfill.
“I wouldn’t expect to see improvements
ton farm just outside the
“The trial diverted around two tonnes
in soil health or yield for at least five years
rural town of Goondiwindi,
of textile waste from landfill with no nega-
as the benefits need time to accumulate, but
Queensland, has shown
tive impact on cotton planting, emergence,
I was very encouraged that there was no
it’s possible to divert large
growth or harvest. Soil carbon levels re-
detrimental impact on our soils.
amounts of end-of-life cotton textile waste
mained stable and the soil’s bugs responded
“In the past we’ve spread cotton gin
from landfill with no harm done to soil health
well to the added cotton material,” Knox said.
trash on other parts of the farm and
“There also appeared to be no adverse
have seen dramatic improvements in the
Project collaborators are confident that
effect from dyes and finishes although
moisture-holding capacity on these fields
with a solid business plan and more re-
more testing is needed on a wider range
so would expect the same using shredded
search, returning shredded cotton products
of chemicals to be absolutely sure of that.”
cotton waste.”
to cotton fields could soon offer benefits to
According to farmer Sam Coulton, the
The project, under the guidance of
soil health, and a scalable solution to the
cotton fields easily “swallowed up” the shred-
circular economy specialists Coreo, was a
massive global problem of textile waste.
ded cotton material, giving him confidence
partnership between the Queensland Govern-
that this composting method has practical
ment, Goondiwindi Cotton, Sheridan, Cotton
long-term potential.
Australia, Worn Up, and Cotton Research
or cotton yields.
According to Cotton Research and Development Corporation supported soil scientist ©stock.adobe.com/au/miwa
Dr Oliver Knox of University of Newcastle
“We spread the cotton textile waste a
(UNE): “At the very least the trial showed
few months before cotton planting in June
that no harm was done to soil health, with
2021 and by January and the middle of the
Around two tonnes of end-of-life cotton
microbial activity slightly increased and at
season the cotton waste had all but disap-
textiles from Sheridan and State Emergency
least 2070 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents
peared, even at the rate of 50 tonnes to the
Service coveralls were processed at Worn
(CO2e) mitigated through the breakdown of
hectare,” Coulton said.
Up in Sydney, transported to ‘Alcheringa’
6
and Development Corporation supported soil scientist Dr Oliver Knox of UNE.
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