Regulating PFAS as a Chemical Class in the Textile Sector
HEJSupport caught up with Maria Delfina Cuglievan Wiese from the SAICM Secretariat to get more details about managing PFAS as a chemical class in the textile sector.
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Numerous chemicals, including toxic substances and endocrine disrupting chemicals are being used throughout textile manufacturing process. Dyeing processes alone usually involve more than 1600 different chemicals, including formaldehyde, chlorine, lead, and mercury. Treatment and dyeing of textile is accountable for 20% of global industrial water pollution. PFOS is being used to make textiles water repellent, which is a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) that will stay in the environment forever and is linked to cancer and other diseases. Studies show that after recycling some of these toxic chemicals can still be found in the new textiles that have been made.
Why and How Should Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Be Regulated in Textiles?
PFAS are chemicals of high concern and their use should be regulated in the garment and textile industry.
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The Use of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Textiles
PFAS are often used as impregnating agents in textiles due to their desirable properties, and unfortunately their use has a negative impact on human and environmental health.
These desirable textile properties include:
– breathability
– oil, water, alcohol, and dirt repellency
– high thermal stability
– durability throughout the washing and dry cleaning processes
The ‘World’s Dirtiest Crop’: Pesticide Use in Cotton Production
Cotton is ubiquitous and widely used throughout the world in the textile and garment industry. However, cotton production can lead to adverse impacts on both human health and the environment due in large part to pesticide use during production.
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