Read the report Dirty Laundry II: Hung out to Dry here: http://j.mp/DirtyLaundry2
Nonylphenol ethoxlyates are effectively banned in the EU (3), and yet were found in products sold in the UK and across Europe.
Tamara Stark of Greenpeace UK said: “It’s the sheer scale of this problem that is so worrying - despite being banned in Europe, we found these chemicals in products from 14 leading brands purchased in 17 different countries, including the UK.”
“Our previous research showed that global clothing brands are responsible for the discharge of hazardous chemicals into waterways in China as part of their manufacturing processes,” said Yifang Li, Toxic Water Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia. “This new report demonstrates that the problem is truly global - people around the world have a right to know about the chemicals that are present in the very fabric of their clothing and the harmful effects these chemicals have when released into the environment.”
Launched today in Beijing and Manila, Greenpeace’s second “Dirty Laundry” report (4) presents the results of analysis of clothing and fabric-based shoes sold internationally by 14 major clothing brands. Of the 78 articles tested, 52 were found to contain nonylphenol ethoxylates, chemicals which break down into the toxic, persistent and hormone-disrupting nonylphenol. The findings provide a snapshot of the kind of toxic chemicals that are being released by the textile industry into waterways all over the world and are indicative of a much wider problem.
Released six weeks ago, the first Greenpeace “Dirty Laundry” report detailed the results of a year-long study linking many of the same clothing brands (5) to suppliers in China who were found to be releasing a cocktail of chemicals into the Pearl and Yangtze River deltas (6). As a result of the global “Detox” campaign, which has included a global striptease (7) and “re-branding activities” (8) at the companies’ stores, both Nike and Puma have publicly committed (9) to the elimination of all discharges of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and products.
Adidas and the other brands in the report have yet to take responsibility for the pollution their manufacturing processes release.
“By failing to take action to eliminate these chemicals, global brands like Adidas are expecting customers to do their dirty laundry for them – every time clothes containing these chemicals are washed, hazardous substances are released into waterways across the world. Brands must remove these chemicals from their products, and the best way to do this is to eliminate them from their production processes and to come clean about what chemicals their factories are using and discharging”, concluded Li (10).
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. Greenpeace is campaigning to stop industrial pollution of our water with hazardous, persistent and hormone-disrupting chemicals by demanding that companies and governments take action to “Detox” our future.
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ENDS
Contacts:
UK press: Graham Thompson, +44 7505 178 489, Graham.Thompson@greenpeace.org
Video: Lucy Campbell-Jackson +31 634738790, Lucy.Campbell.Jackson@greenpeace.org
Images: Greenpeace Picture Desk, John Novis, (m) +31 629 00 1152, John.Novis@greenpeace.org
Marietta Harjono, Greenpeace International Toxic Campaigner, (m) +31 615 007 411
Yifang Li, Greenpeace East Asia Toxic Campaigner, (m) +86 139 106 271 54
Greenpeace International Press Desk Hotline +31 207 182 470
http://photo.greenpeace.org/GPI/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&ALID=27MZIFIJ7DFS&CT=Album
Notes for Editors:
(1) Greenpeace International submitted 78 articles of clothing for analysis by a leading independent laboratory, which examined them for the presence of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), man-made chemicals often used as a surfactant in the textile industry. Where released untreated, NPEs break down in rivers to form the persistent, toxic and hormone disrupting nonylnhenol (NP). Even where wastewater containing NPEs is treated, this only speeds up the conversion into the toxic NP. More detailed information on these substances are available on page 12 of Dirty Laundry: Hung Out to Dry and on page 51, Box 2.2, of the “Dirty Laundry” report, available at www.greenpeace.org/dirtylaundry
(2) The 14 brands where residues of NPEs were detected were Abercombie & Fitch, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Converse, G-Star RAW, H&M, Kappa, Lacoste, Li Ning, Nike, Puma, Ralph Lauren, Uniqlo and Youngor.
(3) EU (2003). Directive 2003/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2003, amending for the 26th time Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylate and cement), now entry number 46 of annex 17 of COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 552/2009 of 22 June 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards Annex XVII. Official Journal L 164. 26.6.2009: 7-31
(4) Dirty Laundry II: Hung out to Dry is available at: http://j.mp/DirtyLaundry2
Infographic also available to download from the above link - as low and high res.
(5) Brands found to have links with suppliers in China who were found to be discharging hazardous chemicals included: Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Bauer Hockey, Calvin Klein, Converse, Cortefiel, H&M, Lacoste, Li Ning, Meters/bonwe, Nike, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (PVH Corp), Puma and Youngor.
(6) For more information please refer to the ‘Dirty Laundry’ report at: greenpeace.org/DirtyLaundry
(7) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/hundreds-strip-to-challenge-nike-and-adidas-t/blog/35853/
(8) www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/rebranding-adidas-to-detox-our-water/blog/36412/
(9) Puma’s commitment available here: http://safe.puma.com/us/en/2011/07/puma-is-committed-to-eliminate-discharges-of-hazardous-chemicals-2
Nike’s commitment available here: http://www.nikebiz.com/media/pr/2011/08/17_zero_discharge.html
(10) “Coming clean” means that brands need to put proper chemical management systems in place that oblige their suppliers to report and publically disclose on their discharges of hazardous chemicals.
