We take a few minutes to deny something that is happily circulating on social networks and even on several ecological and zero waste sites.
But what is it ? Using Dryer Foam to Start a Fire!
We know that many clothes on the market are made from synthetic fibers. These synthetic fibers, like polyester and spandex, are made from petroleum. You could say they are plastic.
That said, dryer foam is not created from dust accumulated during your daily tasks but from fabric particles that come off your clothes.
I would be very surprised if you told me that your clothes are made only from natural fibers such as linen, hemp, wool and cotton.
That being said, it's a safe bet that your dryer foam is primarily made of plastic micro-fibers.
But what does it do to burn plastic?
First of all, burning plastic gives off a bad smell. This smell can also give a feeling of suffocation... But what if that's all it was!
When burning, plastic releases various substances that threaten health. We are talking here about major polluters which have demonstrated impacts on environmental and human health: dioxins, furans, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This burned plastic waste therefore ends up in the atmosphere.
Let's be realistic, it's not by lighting a fire with your dryer suds that you're going to get sick. But... and yes there is a but! These toxic substances are often bioaccumulative. That is to say, the human body does not have the capacity to evacuate them quickly and the levels of toxic products rise in your body. So, you expose yourself to a higher level and therefore more risk of getting sick.
In any case, a question arises: do you really want to be the one who lights your fire with plastic while taking the risk of totally unnecessarily contaminating the environment? So if you want to light a fire: your old paper, cardboard and matches. In a fire, there is also the pleasure of lighting it slowly, with a real smell of wood!
And what do I do with my dryer foam?
This is an interesting question!
The first thing would be to reduce production. To be able to achieve this, the one and only way is to stop using your dryer by drying your clothes in the open air! This increases the durability of your clothes and reduces foam production.
Otherwise, the dryer foam goes in the trash or even used to make homemade padding.
It is not used to light fires and it is not made accessible to birds, in particular, for building their nests. Would you sleep in volatile plastic foam?
Ecologically yours,
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