Do toxic chemicals remain in textile finished goods?
Posted on May 7, 2024
There can be toxic chemicals remaining on fabric even after treatment with fossil fuel textile chemicals. Let me provide some insights:
- Textile Waste and Environmental Impact:
- Textile waste contributes to climate change and chemical pollution. Toxic dyes and finishing chemicals from textiles can enter the environment through landfill leachate.
- Discarded clothing, which often contains textiles treated with various chemicals, reaches landfills and could be reused or recycled.
- Specific Chemicals in Textiles:
- Flame retardants, polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), lead, chromium, phthalates, chlorine bleach, AZO dyes, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) (such as formaldehyde) are some of the chemicals found in clothing.
- Quinolines and aromatic amines were found in polyester, while benzothiazoles were present in cotton, including organic cotton.
- Other chemicals used in textile processing include lead, bisphenol A, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs), formaldehyde, and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).
- Challenges in Eliminating Harmful Substances:
- While progress has been made in reducing harmful substances, textile chemicals known as wet-processing aides remain a challenge. These proprietary blends contain various softeners, chelating agents, solvents, surfactants, and water-based polymers.
It is essential to consider the environmental impact and potential toxicity of textile chemicals, even after treatment. Sustainable practices and awareness can help minimize these effects. If you have specific concerns about a particular fabric or treatment, it’s best to consult with experts or refer to relevant research.
If you interest to discuss or collect more information about this topic, suggest you can send your enquiry to samuel.lo@innotex.com.hk for further communication.
