 to be in regular use for production and processing of textiles. Of these nearly 200 are hazardous, though some cannot be tested at all or the tests are too expensive. While the impact of these chemicals has not been sufficiently investigated, the textile industry in developed countries, starting with Germany, has voluntarily started advocating ecolabels on textile products to enable consumers to buy “clean” products.”
Fierce competition and accelerated markets have forced producers of many natural fibres to take drastic and often dangerous action. Crop failure is not a situation that can be tolerated, or absorbed; excessive use of chemicals even with their intrinsic problems is common.
Since the first of January 2005, removal of all worldwide textile and clothing quotas has seen a boom in exports from developing nations.
“Exports to the United States of cotton-knit tops, one of the items affected by quotas, surged to 11 million units in the first five months of this year, compared with 2.8 million units during all of last year.”16
Especially key to this is the large increase of low end consumables, where profit margins are very narrow.
The range of chemicals used in the processing of textiles is wide ranging, the key areas of use are for the growth/development of:
What chemicals are used?
A host of different Chemicals are used as already stated, but these can be broken down into function.
In excess of 20 separate groups of pesticides are recognised as posing both a health risk at the consumer end, and at the cultivation of natural plant fibres such as cotton and flax. For Example:
Aldrine, carbaryl, DDD, DDE, dieldrine, endosulfan, endrine, heptachlor, heptachlorobenzene, lindane, methoxychlor, trifluralin.
Pesticides are used to prevent attacks and crop failure by insect attacks, whilst herbicides are weed-eradication and defoliant chemicals.
These particular pesticide and herbicides are rated from slight to highly toxic; various attributable effects on the soil are recorded.
Lindane is a pesticide and assumed to be carcinogenic.
Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,3,4,5,6 Tetrachlorophenol (TeCP) are both used to prevent mould caused by fungi, both applied directly to textiles are considered to be highly toxic.
Both have high chemical stability, remaining difficult to break down, posing a long term threat to people and the environment.
Organotin Compounds – TBT and DBT, Tributyltin is a anti microbial finsh used to prevent sweating odours. Dibutyltin is another organotin used variously as a stabiliser, and in the manufacture of polyurethanes.
High concentrations of these compounds are considered toxic; absorbed through the skin they can pose damage to the nervous system.
Formaldehyde is used for creation of easy care finishes, preventing shrinkage, helping crease resistance and gives a soil releasing finish.
The breadth of dyes is massive.
Azo dyes (nitrogen based) are heavily restricted in the EU under the Azocolourants Directive 2002/61/EC; they have been proven to separate under certain conditions to produce carcinogenic and allergenic aromatic amines.
Chlorinated Organic Carriers commonly used in the process of dyeing polyester, they have been found to cause liver malfunction, irritation to mucous membranes, skin and reproductive problems.
Heavy metals are constituents of some dyes, but they may also be present in a fabric having been absorbed by plants from polluted soil.
They pose extremely serious effects when absorbed into the body.
Typical heavy metals include:
Antimony, Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Copper, Chromium, Cobolt and Nickle.
It is important to note that regulation within the EU is strict. These chemicals are still commonly used in developing countries, and it is the workers in direct and indirect contact with these substances that are affected. It is also to be noted that as stated before it is the lower end of the price market that has seen the significant jump in exportation from developing nations, these are intrinsically linked to poor chemical/environmental and human protection and control
Direc