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Somebody told me that Gore-Tex products would be hazardous waste. Is this true? If I want to dispose of them, what should I do? What are the dangerous substances?
Is this true for other breathable membranes as well? Are there membranes that are free from toxic substances?
Goretex, generally consists of three chemicals.
The outer (wear resistant part) is simply nylon or polyester.
This is typically non-hazardous and can be disposed as any other plastic (bearing in mind the long periods of time this is likely going to take to decompose)
This is the "Gore-tex layer". Goretex itself is simply a Polyurethane/PTFE polymer based plastic. Fully reacted (as in Goretex) polyurethane polymer is chemically inert. PTFE does generate potentially noxious gases at temperatures over 250C, So don't burn it! Again this is typically deemed safe though (as above) it takes a long time to decompose.
The production of PTFE also involves the chemical PFOA . This is highly toxic. Though all of this chemical is removed by the final product (i.e. the Goretex itself is not toxic) this chemical (used in the production of Goretex/PTFE) is potentially long lived in the environment. Several legal actions have been successful against DuPont (though no liabillity was admitted) against the release of this chemical into water course.
Goretex is also coated with Durable water repellent coating. This is a Fluoropolymer. Again this is typically safe. If large amounts of Fluoropolymer's get into water they can cause issues with fish, aquatic animals, etc. So again this is an environmentally sensitive product.
Is this true for other breathable membranes as well?
Typically yes, they all use variations on the theme above
Are there membranes that are free from toxic substances?
Yes plenty! Wool, wax jackets, etc. Are they as effective and breathable, typically no, especially when your talking about breathabillity.
http://www.gore-tex.com.au/faq/w1/i1085252/
How should I dispose of a GORE-TEX® product in an environmentally safe way? Garments or footwear made from Gore laminates can be safely disposed of just like any other apparel product.
Contrary to most other plastics, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – the raw material of our membrane - is not made or processed using plasticizers or stabilizers. It doesn’t contain residuals like heavy metals, organotin compounds or phthalates. If disposed of in a landfill, PTFE will not degrade, so it will not contribute to the formation of greenhouse gases (i.e. Methane) or release substances into the water or air. In an incineration plant, PTFE is safely converted to CO2 and Fluorspar. Potentially harmful gases are captured by pollution control devices (alkaline scrubbers) that have been in place for a number of decades.
Finding ways to extend the useful life of a product has always been the environmentally preferred option over product disposal. One might wish to consider donating footwear or garments to charities or repurposing the product for other applications.
The Gore Tex answer to this seems very straightforward and reasonable to me.
