Chemical residue trends for Australian and New Zealand wool

Abstract

Textile consumer trends towards improved product safety and high environmental standards have significantly influenced regulators in key consumer markets. The apparel wool industry sector has responded to regulators, and for three decades the Australia and New Zealand wool industries have managed advancements in ectoparasiticides and improved sheep treatments targeting high environmental, animal health and welfare standards leading to safe wool products. Australian and New Zealand chemical residue data from greasy wool have been consolidated and analysed for organophosphate, synthetic pyrethroid, insect growth regulator, neonicotinoid, macrocyclic lactone and spinosad active. Trend analysis has been applied to time domain data to evaluate advancements in ectoparasiticide technology after revising environmental, animal health and welfare standards. Analysis shows impacts from technology improvement, regulatory change and compliance by sheep farmers meeting or exceeding published European Union residue limits for regulated ectoparasiticides namely organochlorine, organophosphate, synthetic pyrethroid and insect growth regulators. Implications from advancements in ectoparasiticide technology, industry management and regulatory measures, include healthy sheep growing in clean pastoral environments with evidence of reduced wool residue levels which complement high and rising proportions of Australian and New Zealand wool fibre meeting European Union Ecolabel criteria.

Ultra‐Strong Regenerated Wool Keratin Fibers Regulating via Keratin Conformational Transition

“…[ 14 ] More than 2.5 million tons of wool are produced annually worldwide mainly from Australia, China, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina. [ 25,26 ] Simultaneously, a large number of waste wool close to the annual wool production were produced from shearing/weaving trimmings, discarded low grade coarse wool, and fast fashion industry. [ 27 ] However, based on current wool waste treatment industry, such a tremendous number of keratin‐rich biomaterials are mainly treated as low‐value feed additives, cosmetic ingredients and waste water treatment agents, or even directly end up in landfill or incineration.…”

Wool Agro-Waste Biomass and Spruce Sawdust: Pellets as an Organic Soil Amendment

“…The research of wool contaminants has been focused on chemical contaminants [49,50], and to our knowledge there are no articles on microbiological aspects. In our work, attention is focused on a broad range of transversal microbiological indicators (aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts), and specific pathogen agents.…”