image with artdirection

This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem

In 2013, a team of Cambridge University scientists were in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, developing a device to measure pollution in the region's waters.
The scientists spoke to local people, who relied on the filthy streams and rivers for their water supply, and learned that waste from textile factories was contaminating the waterways.

image with artdirection

 

 

"We were shocked," says Orr Yarkoni, one of the researchers on the expedition. The scientists analyzed the water and their findings aligned with what the locals said -- most of the hazardous chemicals came from the textile industry.

Nepal is one of the most water-abundant countries in the world, but water pollution is a major problem. More than 85% of the population doesn't have access to safe drinking water.

Read the full article here
Words by Milly Chan