Limiting Exposure to Toxic Substances from Sports Textiles
Alexander Dionne, Joshua Meesarapu, Kathleen Morgan, Lyla Valentina
Arnika is a Czech non-profit organization that strives for a healthier, cleaner environment. Working with Arnika, the goal of this project was to document the impacts, regulations, and consumer awareness of toxic chemicals used in sports textiles. A multiple-choice questionnaire was administered through Arnika’s newsletter to document current knowledge, levels of concern, and topics of interest related to these substances. The responses indicated that newsletter respondents are most interested in learning about clothing selection and maintenance, material and brand recommendations, and legislation and solutions on a global level. Interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs) at universities in the Czech Republic were conducted. Recent scientific and regulatory literature was reviewed to document health and environmental impacts, current regulations, and potential alternatives. Findings from the questionnaire, interviews, and literature review were consolidated into a briefing paper that summarizes the impacts, regulations, and alternatives for the substances of concern, and provides practical guidance for limiting exposure. Recommendations focused on broadening Arnika’s outreach to more diverse audiences, prototyping a clothing label, encouraging tighter regulation, and coordinating an awareness campaign.
See the final report and presentation here.