Professional paper
The environmental impact of sheep wool production and processing
Boro Mioč
; Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Džaja
Ante Kasap
; Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonko Antunović
; Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Marija Jukić Grbavac
; Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Valentina Držaić
; Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In the past, wool was one of the most important and valued sheep products. Because of its importance, it was often called „white gold“. Most of the wool produced (about 56%) is processed by the textile industry, whose raw material is mostly high quality wool. In recent decades, interest in wool, especially coarse, low-quality wool (which is most common in Europe and Croatia), has declined significantly due to strong competition from man-made fibers. In addition, the wool waste generated during sheep shearing and wool processing is a significant problem. The category of waste wool (unwanted wool) also includes the belly wool of fine wool sheep breeds, which makes up about 20% of the fleece. During the processing (scratching, combing, spinning, weaving, etc.) 10-15% of the wool is wasted. Washing wool consumes a lot of energy, labour, time and water, which in most cases ends up in the environment. Increasing awareness of the importance of environmental protection and the growing need for safe and sustainable biological materials are driving the search for new methods to recycle wool waste and create new products. So the big challenge for the future is to find economically viable, market-oriented and ecologically sound solutions for low-quality wool and wool waste that directly help producers and protect the environment.
Keywords
wool; washing; waste; environment; new technologies
Hrčak ID:
296672
URI
Publication date:
27.3.2023.
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