{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"analysis_type":["laboratory testing"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'laboratory testing' for facet 'analysis_type' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":5,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?analysis_type=laboratory+testing","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"chanmar-000111","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/chanmar-000111","title":"Spinning Greenwash: How the fashion industry’s shift to recycled polyester is worsening microplastic pollution","publisher":{"name":"Changing Markets Foundation","organization":"changing-markets-foundation"},"document_type":"executive summary","language":"de","date_published":"2025-12","source_url":"https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DE_Spinning-Greenwash_executive-summary.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report finds that recycled polyester releases significantly more microfibers than virgin polyester, contradicting industry claims of sustainability and highlighting the risks of 'bottle-to-textile' downcycling.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Recycled polyester releases a higher quantity of microfibers compared to virgin polyester. Laboratory tests showed recycled polyester released an average of approximately 12,000 fibers per gram, which is 54.8% more than the 8,028 fibers per gram released by virgin polyester.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Microfibers from recycled polyester are smaller on average (0.42 mm) than those from virgin polyester (0.52 mm). These smaller particles are considered to pose a greater risk to human health and the environment because they can penetrate deeper into tissues and lungs and are more easily absorbed by soil and water organisms.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Recycled polyester also exhibits a higher mass loss than virgin polyester, with a loss of 0.36 mg/g compared to 0.24 mg/g, representing a 50% increase in mass loss.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The 'bottle-to-textile' process, where 98% of recycled polyester is sourced from plastic bottles, is described as downcycling. This process removes bottles from closed-loop recycling systems and creates garments that release microplastics and are not effectively recyclable, often ending up in landfills or incinerators.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Among the tested brands, Nike exhibited the highest microfiber release for both virgin and recycled polyester. Nike's recycled polyester released an average of 30,772 fibers/g, which is approximately 16% more than Adidas and seven times more than Zara.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"While virgin cotton releases heavier and longer fibers (1.85 mg/g) than synthetic fibers, these are considered to pose a lower health risk as they are less likely to reach the lower respiratory tract.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000111#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["circular economy","greenwashing","waste management","plastic production"],"geography_discussed":["Kenya","Tanzania","European Union","United States"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["laboratory testing","comparative analysis","policy review"]},{"id":"chanmar-000157","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/chanmar-000157","title":"Spinning Greenwash: How the fashion industry’s shift to recycled polyester is worsening microplastic pollution","publisher":{"name":"Changing Markets Foundation","organization":"changing-markets-foundation"},"document_type":"executive summary","language":"fr","date_published":"2025-12","source_url":"https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FR_Spinning-Greenwash_executive-summary.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report argues that the fashion industry's shift to recycled polyester is a form of greenwashing, as recycled synthetic fibres release more microplastics than their virgin counterparts. Based on tests of 51 garments from major brands, the study finds that recycled polyester releases approximately 55% more fibres per gram than virgin polyester, and these fibres are smaller and potentially more toxic. The document also highlights the issue of 'downcycling' plastic bottles into textiles, which removes them from closed-loop recycling and creates garments that cannot be effectively recycled. It concludes that the only fundamental solution is to reduce the overall use of both virgin and recycled synthetic fibres.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Recycled polyester releases significantly more microfibres than virgin polyester. An analysis of 23 items showed that recycled polyester released an average of approximately 12,000 fibres per gram, which is 54.8% more than the 8,028 fibres per gram released by virgin polyester.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Microfibres from recycled polyester are systematically smaller than those from virgin polyester, with an average length of 0.42 mm compared to 0.52 mm. This smaller size increases their toxicity, environmental dispersion, and ability to penetrate deeper into lungs and tissues.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Recycled polyamide also exhibits higher fibre loss than virgin polyamide, releasing more than three times as many fibres (228% increase), with 5,133 fibres/g compared to 1,565 fibres/g.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Among the brands tested, Nike showed the highest rate of fibre release for both virgin and recycled polyester. Nike's recycled polyester released an average of 30,772 fibres/g, which is approximately 16% more than Adidas and seven times more than Zara.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There are discrepancies between online marketing claims and physical labels regarding recycled polyester. For example, some Shein items marketed as 'recycled polyester' in June 2025 were later sold as simply 'polyester', and their fibre loss levels were similar to virgin polyester.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000157#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["greenwashing","circular economy"],"geography_discussed":["European Union","United Kingdom","Kenya","Tanzania"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["laboratory testing","comparative analysis","policy review"]},{"id":"chanmar-000279","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/chanmar-000279","title":"Spinning Greenwash","publisher":{"name":"Changing Markets Foundation","organization":"changing-markets-foundation"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2025-12","source_url":"https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Spinning-Greenwash_full-report.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report finds that recycled polyester sheds significantly more and finer microfibres than virgin polyester, challenging industry claims of sustainability. Testing of 51 garments from Adidas, H&M, Nike, Shein, and Zara revealed that recycled polyester released an average of 12,430 fibres per gram, compared to 8,028 for virgin polyester. The study argues that the 'bottle-to-textile' recycling model is a form of downcycling that worsens pollution and allows brands to mask a continued reliance on virgin plastics. It also identifies discrepancies in 'recycled' labelling, particularly with Shein, and calls for EU-wide eco-design criteria and a global plastics treaty to cap virgin plastic production.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Recycled polyester releases a significantly higher number of microfibres than virgin polyester. Testing showed recycled polyester released an average of approximately 12,000 fibres per gram, which is 54.8% more than the 8,028 fibres per gram released by virgin polyester.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Microfibres from recycled polyester are consistently smaller and finer than those from virgin polyester, with an average length of 0.42 mm compared to 0.52 mm. These smaller particles are considered more harmful as they can penetrate deeper into human lungs and tissues and are more readily ingested by aquatic and soil organisms.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Recycled versions of both polyester and polyamide exhibit higher shedding rates than their virgin counterparts. Recycled polyamide was found to shed over three times as many fibres as virgin polyamide (5,133 fibres/g vs. 1,565 fibres/g).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Among the brands tested, Nike demonstrated the highest levels of fibre release for both virgin and recycled polyester. Nike's recycled polyester released an average of 30,772 fibres per gram, which is roughly seven times more than Zara and nearly four times more than H&M.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report identifies evidence of greenwashing and misleading claims regarding recycled content. Specifically, Shein garments advertised as 'recycled polyester' in June 2025 were later relisted as simply 'polyester', and some items from H&M and Nike marketed as recycled online lacked this information on physical care labels.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Cotton fibres are heavier and longer than synthetic fibres, which may result in lower health risks and better capture by wastewater treatment plants. Cotton released 1.85 mg/g of fibres with lengths between 0.40 and 0.94 mm.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The 'bottle-to-textile' recycling process is described as downcycling because it removes plastic bottles from closed-loop recycling systems and places them into garments that cannot be effectively recycled again.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000279#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["circular economy","greenwashing"],"geography_discussed":["European Union","France","Kenya","Tanzania","Australia"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["laboratory testing","comparative analysis","policy review"]},{"id":"chanmar-000333","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/chanmar-000333","title":"missing micronutrients","publisher":{"name":"Changing Markets Foundation","organization":"changing-markets-foundation"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2019-09","source_url":"https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Unilever_Maizena_FINAL_ENG.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Changing Markets Foundation found that Unilever fails to fortify its basic Maizena Natural cornflour in Mexico despite claims that its cornflour products in Latin America are fortified. Furthermore, laboratory tests of 84 samples revealed that flavoured Maizena atole mixes often contain lower levels of iron and zinc than stated on their labels, suggesting a gap between the company's global nutrition commitments and its product reality.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Unilever claims that its cornflour products in Latin America are fortified with zinc, vitamin A, and other micronutrients, but the basic Maizena Natural product sold in Mexico is not fortified.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Laboratory testing of Maizena flavoured atole products in Mexico showed that none of the samples tested contained the levels of iron stated on their packaging, and most contained lower than stated levels of zinc.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Specific new product flavours showed significant deficiencies; the cookie flavour was well below stated levels for both iron and zinc, and the rice pudding flavour was well below stated zinc levels.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"While minerals were consistently low, results for vitamins B1, B3, and B9 were mixed; niacin (B3) levels in most flavours were more than double the label claim, while thiamine (B1) was clearly below the label claim in the chocolate flavour.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report suggests that the low levels of iron and zinc may result from poor fortification practices or systematic under-fortification rather than degradation, as minerals are generally more stable than vitamins during processing.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Unilever does not disclose the source of iron used in its fortification, which is critical because different iron sources have different levels of bioavailability and absorbability in the human body.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000333#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":[],"geography_discussed":["Latin America","Mexico City","Chiapas","Colombia"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["case study","laboratory testing"]},{"id":"chanmar-000314","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/chanmar-000314","title":"The grain of truth: industry compliance on flour fortification in Mexico","publisher":{"name":"Changing Markets Foundation","organization":"changing-markets-foundation"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2019-02","source_url":"https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/The-Grain-of-Truth-English-web-double-page.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report finds that only 7% of tested flour products in Mexico are adequately fortified, with maize flours performing particularly poorly. It highlights a systemic failure by the food industry to comply with regulation NOM-247-SSA1-2008, including failures in government-funded social welfare programmes like Diconsa and DIF Chiapas.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Only 7% (4 out of 61) of packaged maize and wheat-flour products tested were found to be fortified adequately, meaning they met minimum levels for iron and zinc and used recommended iron compounds.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"No maize-flour products tested were considered adequately fortified. This is critical as maize accounts for 72% of the grain market share in Mexico.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Government-funded nutrition programmes for vulnerable families are failing to comply with fortification laws; Diconsa maize flour had the lowest iron content of all products tested, and DIF Chiapas maize flour was not fortified at all.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Many companies use electrolytic iron for fortification, which is less bioavailable and deemed ineffective for nixtamalized maize flour by WHO guidelines, despite Mexican law recommending ferrous sulphate or ferrous fumarate.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Imported flour brands largely ignore Mexican fortification laws; Bob’s Red Mill and Le 5 Stagioni were not fortified, and Pillsbury's zinc levels were far below requirements.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report identifies a lack of consistency in fortification processes within major companies; for example, Munsa produces both well-fortified (Rio Lerma) and severely under-fortified (Castilla and Superior) brands.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Hot-cake mixes exist in a regulatory 'grey area' and are often not fortified in line with flour regulations, despite being a popular breakfast food.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Climate change is linked to micronutrient deficiencies as increasing carbon dioxide levels may reduce essential nutrients like iron and zinc in staple crops such as wheat and rice.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"chanmar-000314#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["climate change","food security"],"geography_discussed":["Mexico City","Chiapas","State of Mexico","Veracruz"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["compliance audit","laboratory testing","policy assessment"]}]}