Blog: Toxics

We've just released a new version of the Guide to Greener Electronics. This time ranking 15 gadget and electronics companies on energy, greener products and sustainable operations. HP takes the lead at 5.9 out of a possible 10 points, followed by Dell, Nokia and Apple.

As you’ve heard, we’re now seeing a growing wave of clothing companies committing to eliminate toxic chemicals from their production processes. Four major clothing brands have recently come onboard and we’re certain that more companies – and perhaps other industries – will soon stop using hazardous chemicals that currently contaminate the world’s waterways and environment.

There's a skeleton in H&M's closet. The fast-fashion retailer sells clothes made with chemicals which cause hazardous water pollution around the world, and the only way to stop this water pollution is to come clean and stop using such chemicals for good. As one of the largest clothing groups in the world, a H&M committed to a toxic-free future would set a trend for the rest of the fashion industry to follow.

Our latest research reveals that the clothes you are wearing may contain nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) - chemicals that are effectively banned in clothing manufacturing in Europe - which can break down in water to form nonylphenol (NP), a toxic, persistent and hormone-disrupting substance. 52 out of 78 garments from 14 global clothing, brands sold in the UK and the continent, tested positive for NPEs, including four Adidas articles.