ENVOIRNMENTAL EFFECTS DUE

TO CHEMICALS AND
FLUFF IN APPAREL INDUSTRY
Presented by
Moeen-Ud Deen chishty.
Institute of Textile and Industrial Sciences
University of Management and technology
LAHORE.

During the past few decades the awareness regarding the

environmental problem has increased and its become a major
issue and the customer focused towards the quality and safety
standards has increased.
The textile industry seems to be condemned as being one of the
worlds worst lawbreakers in the field of pollution. When this water
is drained as a waste water the PH level, the contamination,
effluents, toxic wastes, and not considerable which is unhealthy
for both the human and aquatic life.
Breathing in polluted environment and inhale the cotton dust after
a regular interval of time creates major problems like lung
cancer called brown lung or byssinosis.

Most of the dyes, pigments, and process related to the garment

wet processing create problem for the environment. Generally
environmental problem is linked with the water, because the
waste water which is drained contains untreated effluent and
there are different toxic chemical in water. Due to its un-healthy
nature water is more dangerous for aquatic life.
The major wastes from the apparel industry are fibers, broken
yarns, packing wastes and cartons. The line particle which is in the
micron size 1 micro meter to 2 micro meters (depending upon its
range) creates problems during respiration process.
These unhealthy environments create problems like lungs cancer,
cough, etc

Every industry has particular process for the manufacturing

specific product. There are several numbers of chemical processes,
and mechanical processes involve in the garments industry and
each process has its own significance on environment.
This impact starts with the cultivation of natural fibers. During the
past few decades the awareness regarding the environmental
problem has increased and its become a major issue and the
customer focused towards the quality and safety standards has
increased major works in the garments industry are Dyeing,
cutting, sewing, cleaning and finishing and packaging of that
product.

Every cloth is dipped in different chemicals by using different

methods to achieve the definite color (according to its pantone
number). To achieve specific property like fire resistant water
resistant and etc. different finishes are used. Many fabric actions
have been done before the material is transported to the
garments factory for the stitching.
The textile industry seems to be condemned as being one of the
worlds worst lawbreakers in the field of pollution, because its
required a great amount of two components:

Water (Basic element)

Chemicals (dyes, pigments, fixing agents, etc.)

In the textile industry more than 2000 chemicals are used, which is
starting from the basic dyeing, fixing, and washing of that
particular garment.
Chemical ranges different dyes which include vat dyes, sulphr
dyes, metal dyes, direct dyes, etc. which imparts harmful effect on
the water different auxalries and Surfactance which contain very
harmful chemicals are also being used in the textile fabric dyeing.

These chemicals have a crucial

effect on both environments on
human health.

Water is a universal solvent. Water is the major source that is

quickly become infrequent. Water played an important role in the
garments factory like washing, printing, dyeing, finishing of the
specific product which is according to the customers demand.
But the major issue related to the water is, after processing water
becomes full of condiments and it drained as wastewater which
turned into pollutants:Due to effluents heat. (Most of the effluents are generally hot
having alkalinity condition and strong smelling in coloring
process).
Due to increase in its PH. (Solutions having PH level less
than 7 are acidic and solutions having PH greater than 7 are basic
or alkaline. Pure drinking water has a PH level very close to 7).
And because it is saturated with dyes, bleaches, equalizers, and
many further compounds used through the processes.

Some of the chemicals included dyes; pigments are cancercausing and can lower down the dissolved oxygen content in the
receiving water, which is harmful for the marine life and low down
the water quality downstream.
According to June 5, 2005 article in business week, the pollution
that is allergic to chemical will grow to 60 percent by the year
2020.
Much of the chemicals such as alum, and copper sulfate can create
itching problem to your skin and create rashes, allergic, or
breathing problems.
Others hazardous are more dangerous such as potassium
dichromate and tanning acid and cause cancer as well along with
the other health problems. Many people can dye off their hands
with solvents. It is easy and it removes the dye quickly, but
solvents can damage your skin.

Another process which played an important role in garments

producing industry is garments finishing. After sewing the
garments this will again processed to add some additional
qualities or colors. In that dept. the line workers correct the
mistakes like, oil spot, dirt mark on the garment.
Some jeans are acid washed workers spray like potassium
permanganate bleach chlorine bleach, etc to make the look of the
garment worn.
Occasionally jeans are tied or twisted to create different patterns.
Different Bleaches uses in the industry but the most dangerous are
acid washed which can burn or damage your skin and create
irritation to different human parts. (Eyes, nose, throat, etc.).

Potassium permanganate bleach is also unhealthy for human

being they create problems like fertility for men and women, and
liver and kidney problems or it may cause cancer
Other method to lighten the denim in which high pressure contain
machine sprayed on denim with sand. This is most dangerous for
workers. Sand blasting is much powerful than sanding method
used by hand. Sanding technique used by hand effect the human
health and more dangerous for the working environment in that
zone, because there is no much proper exhaust and ventilation
system is available.

Cutting is the one of the major process in the apparel/garments

industry before stitching.
Fabric is treated with metallic knife/blade of different kinds to cut
the fabrics into garments parts. During cutting if the blade is not
sharpen of the fabric type is not similar to that cutting process
then cutting is not properly done. And different fault occurs like
frayed edged remain uncut during the cutting process.

The commonly automatic process which is

being used in the automatic cutting are:-

Circular cutter
Straight Knives
Laser cutting.
Water jet cutting.

As the person is treated with the chemically treated fabric in the cutting
section the lint (short fibers, frayed edges) remain attached with the
fabric and cut through knife to make the fabric neat and clean.

In the garments manufacturing industry dust is generally created during

the cutting, trim, and sewing of fabrics. Fabric dust is dangerous for
human being and the dust from fabric which is chemically treated is
more dangerous for human health.

In the Sewing Section of the garments manufacturing industry when the

cutting parts are placed for stitch the improper cut parts are again cut by
using knife, or by notches. These separate yarns or edges create dust or
remain in mobile form in the environment.

There are different sewing machines which creates is responsible to

create the environmental fluff like over lock. The edges are cut to make
them a proper shape but having no vacuum suction which imparts as
creating dusty environment in the cutting area

During respiration process we inhale in the polluted air in

which lint (short fibers) are scattered. The dust from the
cotton and other man-made fibers like polyester, nomex,
Kevlar, carbon, etc. (made from the hydrocarbons) are more
dangerous cause major breathing problems like:Dry and creating itching in nose.
Dry cough that never go easily
Heavy trouble in breathing.
Major signs of these problems are:
Chest problems
Wheezing
Bronchitis the keeps coming back.
Cold or allergy marks.

According to the Dept of pulmonary medicine,

R.G.Kar College, Kolkata, more than 800, 00
workers are died in the cotton, flax, and ropemaking industries due to the byssinosis. In the
United States, byssinosis is almost completely
limited to workers who handle natural cotton. More
than 35,000 textile workers have been disabled by
byssinosis and 183 died between 1979 and 1992.
The major deaths due to byssinosis are related to
the textile industries.

Before drainage of the waste water the PH level of that water

must be neutral.
All the toxic waste and contamination must be recycled.
The labor must aware about the chemicals, dyes, etc.
There are some international bodies like ASTM (American society
for Testing & Materials), ISO (International Standards
Organization) GOTS (Global organic textile standards) which is
responsible for the companys standardization. That organization
must full fill the particular standards to be certified.
During work all the PPE (personal protective equipment) should
be wear.

In the Textile industry ventilation system is properly working to

keep the environment neat and clean.
The vacuum is applied to clean the working area.
Wear the respirators and other equipments like mask, gloves, etc
during working.
Stop smoking in the working area it may cause to inhale the dust.
During finishing of the garments wash your work stations first.
The first aid must be nearby to the workers.
Safety first point should be implemented in organization.
By applying the Iso standards the organization can achieve the
benefits like Profitability, Market access, Economic growth, less
production time, air trade and Waste reduction.
By recycling the waste water the organization can achieve
multiple profits like increase in process efficiency, process cost
reduced, etc.

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(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textile_industry_in_Pakistan).
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Muhammad-Ayaz. [Online].
B. Basu, "Safety and Hazardous Atmosphere in Textile Industries,"
Safety and Hazardous Atmosphere in Textile Industries.