Water is essential for life, but it is also the world’s most threatened essential resource. New research commissioned by Greenpeace shows that residues of the hazardous chemicals nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) – used in textile manufacturing – remain in many clothing items sold by major international clothing brands and, when washed, a significant percentage of the chemicals in these clothes is released and subsequently discharged into rivers, lakes and seas, where they turn into the even more toxic and hormone-disrupting chemical nonylphenol (NP).
We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg.
It is imperative that solutions are found to stop poisoning the precious resources we have left with hazardous chemicals. Solutions for zero discharge are proposed by many people and partly they are even implemented, however, with the shift of textile production to Asia, and the closure of most production sites of the large multinational manfacturers of dyes and chemicals in europe, shift to to China and India, it doesn´t get much easier to manage.
In this blog we will continue to follow the development.
Read the full story : Dirty Laundry: Reloaded | Greenpeace International.
Mr Schumacher
We are very much aware of the Greenpeace reports 1,2,3 (Dirty Laundry) and the Detox Challenge from Greenpeace to all leading brands in Europe. As an effect of this, 8 leading brands have come together to share resources & commit for a zero discharge of hazardous chemicals in their entire supply chain by 2020. On behalf of NimkarTek, I had attented the meeting of this ZDHC Committee at Brussels in April’12. The Brands are very serious in going ahead with this committement. Let us hope that they move forward along their Roadmap quickly.
I would look forward to your sharing your views on this development