Sweet smell of failure
November 18th 2010 10:00
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Vyoos news
The technological progress we are making as a result of the efforts of scientists, inventors and innovators is not a smooth curve. Often, it's more like two steps forward, one step back.
Take for example, the stunning breakthrough a few years back when scientists announced the end of foot odour problems due to the invention of the odourless sock.
Through a high-tech combination of silver and other stuff, here at last was relief for long-suffering partners and family members of people whose feet stink. Socks shot back to the top of the Christmas popularity list.
Alas, all good things ....
The news today is that smell-kill socks have been found to be more trouble than they are worth in terms of the environment. We are talking here of the global environment rather than the domestic one.
The bad news comes in a report from Friends of the Earth which says non-pong socks, and the nanotechnology with which they are made, have two serious environmental drawbacks.
Firstly, the nano-silver and other nanotechnological components found in the socks take a rather large amount of energy to produce. Secondly, when the socks are washed, traces of these components journey with the dirty water to waste water treatment plants, and there cause havoc in terms of greenhouse gas production.
US scientists have shown that the bacteria in waste water treatment plants release up to four times the typical level of nitrous oxide when exposed to the nano-silver used in the socks.
Friends of the Earth suggested that, for the time being, we may have to do without the high-tech non-pong socks and spend a little more time doing laundry.
news.com.au
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