Swedish study finds sweaty jocks harm the environment
Figure-hugging, labelled training clothes have long been de rigueur in the gyms and sports clubs of Sweden. Some even promise to eliminate the smell of sweat but, as a new report shows, at a cost to the environment.
The market for training clothes is awash with items that promise to transport sweat away from the body and keep you looking good in the gym.
But some products promise to go one step further and market their ability to minimize not just the excess weight of the sweat but also its undesirable smell.
The Gothenburg Environmental Administration has conducted a survey of the products and found that their impact on the environment is not as beneficial, local newspaper Göteborgs-Posten reports.
The administration has tested four different "antibacterial" clothing items from four different companies.
The items contain silver ions which may help to kill off unwanted odours but when washed are emitted into the drains and cause problems for the environment, the administration has found.
Following publication of the survey, one firm, Åhléns, elected to immediately withdraw sales of a sock.
The survey also indicates that the antibacterial effects are only fleeting - after a couple of washes their benefits disappear completely.
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The market for training clothes is awash with items that promise to transport sweat away from the body and keep you looking good in the gym.
But some products promise to go one step further and market their ability to minimize not just the excess weight of the sweat but also its undesirable smell.
The Gothenburg Environmental Administration has conducted a survey of the products and found that their impact on the environment is not as beneficial, local newspaper Göteborgs-Posten reports.
The administration has tested four different "antibacterial" clothing items from four different companies.
The items contain silver ions which may help to kill off unwanted odours but when washed are emitted into the drains and cause problems for the environment, the administration has found.
Following publication of the survey, one firm, Åhléns, elected to immediately withdraw sales of a sock.
The survey also indicates that the antibacterial effects are only fleeting - after a couple of washes their benefits disappear completely.
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