Nylon, a commodity derived from petroleum for industrial application and making products of daily use, will perennially remain a nightmare for environmentalists. This is because unlike natural hard fibres such as jute, kenaf and hemp, nylon remains resolutely non-biodegradable. However, some other petroleum derivatives such as plastics of certain grades are becoming more and more biodegradable.
According to natural fibre lobbyists, nylon, as it refuses to die out ever, is not accepted as the ideal material for making soil saver, which is required in large volumes globally at major construction sites likes bridges, dams and high rise structures.
As the meagre annual production of less than 6,000 tonnes of soil saver, more popularly known as geotextile, will prove, the Indian jute mill industry is found wanting in seizing a growing world market for construction. Bangladesh is also not doing any better.
This gives a handle to the plastic lobbyists to say somewhat disparagingly about the jute industry that it is “tradition bound, too dependent on government support even in times of big ticket reforms and therefore, not keen to develop new products.” An official of the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) says, “Whatever may be said against our industry, jute’s eco-friendliness and employment generation potential in the fields and factories will remain unchallenged.”
Developed and first produced by DuPont in 1939, nylon as a substitute for natural fibres in the beginning became highly popular without inviting the wrath of environmentalists. It could easily replace silk, an expensive commodity in any case, in making women’s stockings. Because of its high strength and durability, nylon has become the preferred material for makers of track suits, swimwear, windbreakers and also hosiery items.
“In the 1980s, we were given to understand that we were soon to enter an era where jute would blend with other natural and man-made fibres. But blended fabrics with jute as one of the fibres in the warp or weft is available, if at all, in very limited quantities,” says industry observer Anirban Dasgupta. As for industrial application, nylon is used in a big way in making ropes, carpets, webbings and tapes. And herein lies the concern of environmentalists.
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Once a nylon-based product has been through its lifecycle, it goes into a landfill. But all the major cities of the world have started running out of landfill space. In fact such is the public outcry against landfill space that sooner than later it will be a struggle to find areas for disposal of waste in large volumes. According to municipal officials, public anger against landfill space is caused principally by emission, high movement of trucks with waste materials and property value loss in the surrounding areas.
Raj Menon, India head of the world’s leading modular commercial flooring manufacturer InterfaceFLOR, with presence in 110 countries, says “As the waste disposal problem is approaching the crisis zone, it becomes imperative for all companies and their customers to jointly brainstorm as to how to go about the job of segregating the waste materials and then recycling them for reuse in the most efficient and environment friendly manner.”
Interface carpets have nylon on top while the backing is made of PVC composite. The company has adopted what is described as ‘Cool Green’ system which leads it to recover and remanufacture a carpet that has lived its useful life rather than send it to a landfill. As a new carpet is made from largely recycled material, some fresh nylon is also used to give the product the desired look and feel.
Menon says his company, which has made a commitment not to leave any negative impact on environment by 2020, is trying to combat waste by using less and less raw material for a given unit of production. But his success here will also depend on his ability to convert his customers into the recycling mission and also make them share the company’s cost for the carbon offset and climate care programme.