The Dark Side Of China's Textile Industry: Pollution's Causes

China's textile industry has a significant environmental impact, contributing heavily to air and water pollution. The industry is among the top five polluting industries globally, with textile and dyeing plants emitting wastewater, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals into the water supply. China's reliance on coal to power textile factories and the improper dumping of untreated wastewater are also major contributors to the nation's pollution problem. The demand for fast, cheap fashion and the use of synthetic materials have exacerbated the issue, leading to increased textile waste and global water pollution. To address these severe environmental impacts, China should strengthen its environmental policies, promote transparency in supply chains, and transition to more sustainable energy sources.

Textile dyeing and treatment

China is a leading exporter and importer of textiles, and its textile industry is among the top five polluting industries globally. The industry contributes significantly to the country's air and water pollution.

The textile dyeing and treatment sector is a major contributor to water pollution in China. It is responsible for 17 to 20 percent of industrial water pollution in the country, with 72 toxic chemicals in China's water originating solely from textile dyeing. Of these, 30 cannot be removed. The sector emitted more wastewater than any other sector in Guangdong Province, according to a 2009 report.

The dyeing process in textile manufacturing utilizes many artificial substances and a significant amount of water. This water, if not adequately treated before discharge, can contaminate nearby water sources. The use of synthetic materials such as acrylic, nylon, and polyester, produced from fossil fuels, further exacerbates pollution.

To address these issues, the Chinese government and the fashion industry should strengthen environmental regulations and initiatives. Brands should promote more environmentally friendly wastewater and dyeing practices, such as those advocated by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Additionally, China should continue to phase out its coal dependency and transition to renewable energy sources for a more sustainable future for the textile industry.

Burning coal for power

China is the largest coal producer in the world, with 3.84 billion tonnes produced in 2020, and the country's coal production in 2018 was 46.7% of the total global production. The main coal-producing provinces in China are Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, with most coal found in the north and northwest of the country.

China's dependence on coal is a cause for concern on a global scale, particularly due to the emissions caused by burning coal. China is the number one producer of carbon dioxide, responsible for a quarter of the world's CO2 output. The burning of coal to power textile factories has increased hazardous methane emissions and contributed to air pollution. China's textile industry is among the top five polluting industries globally, and the country's official data reveals that the industry was the third-largest source of industrial wastewater in China.

In 2023, China was responsible for 95% of new coal power construction, with 70 gigawatts of new capacity, a fourfold increase since 2019. This is in contrast to the rest of the world, where new coal power construction is at its lowest level since data collection began. While global coal power capacity has increased, this is largely due to China's efforts, and outside of China, only 32 countries have new coal projects at pre-construction phases.

China has taken some steps towards battling climate change, pledging in 2021 to end financing for overseas coal power plants and to cut its carbon intensity by about 40% by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. Additionally, China's economy is phasing out its coal dependency to embrace more renewable energy sources and power a more sustainable future for the textile industry.

Poor waste management

One of the main issues is the improper disposal of wastewater. The textile industry in China produced 1.84 billion tons of wastewater effluent in 2015, accounting for 10.1% of the country's total industrial wastewater discharge. This wastewater is often untreated and contains toxic chemicals, including 72 toxic chemicals from textile dyeing, 30 of which cannot be removed. These chemicals eventually make their way into rivers and wells, causing severe ecological risks and health hazards for nearby communities. The World Health Organization estimates that polluted water causes 75% of diseases and over 100,000 deaths annually in China.

Textile manufacturing also emits heavy metals into the water, such as cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, and copper. These metals pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Additionally, the industry is a major discharger of ammonia and nitrogen, contributing about 6.6% nationwide. The excessive use of fertilizers in agriculture further exacerbates nitrogen and phosphate levels in water bodies, leading to increased pollution and ecological damage.

The textile industry's poor waste management also extends to solid waste. It is among the top five producers of solid waste in Guangdong Province, according to a 2009 report. This solid waste often ends up in landfills or is incinerated, leading to air and soil pollution.

Furthermore, the industry's reliance on burning coal to power factories contributes to hazardous methane emissions and air pollution. China's economy needs to continue moving away from its coal dependency and towards renewable energy sources to power a more sustainable future for the textile industry and the country as a whole.

To address these issues, China should strengthen its environmental regulations and policies. This includes expanding the scope of offending pollutants in its environmental tax policy and enforcing stricter guidelines for waste treatment and disposal. Brands and supply chains must also be held accountable and work towards more transparent and environmentally friendly practices.

Use of artificial elements

China's textile industry relies heavily on artificial elements, which contribute significantly to the country's air and water pollution. The use of artificial substances in the manufacturing process, such as synthetic materials like acrylic, nylon, and polyester, produced from fossil fuels, is a leading cause of pollution in the industry.

One of the key issues is the dyeing process, which utilizes a vast array of artificial substances and large volumes of water. Often, this water is not adequately treated before being discharged into nearby water bodies, leading to severe water pollution. According to the World Bank, 17 to 20 percent of industrial water pollution in China comes from textile dyeing and treatment, with 72 toxic chemicals in the water originating solely from this process. Of these toxic chemicals, 30 are permanent and cannot be removed.

Textile wastewater is a significant contributor to the pollution of rivers and lakes in China. A study in Wujiang County revealed that textile wastewater was the main source of Sb (antimony), a toxic element that poses ecological risks to the local aquatic environment. High concentrations of Sb were found in the southeastern part of the study area, where many textile industries are located, and this pollution exceeded the standard limit in 35.71% of samples collected from drainage outlets.

Furthermore, the spinning process in textile manufacturing requires a substantial amount of energy, often utilizing electricity or gasoline to operate the machines that spin the fibers. This contributes to air pollution, as the burning of fossil fuels releases hazardous greenhouse gases, including methane. China's dependence on coal to power its textile factories further exacerbates this issue, leading to increased methane emissions and worsening climate change.

The use of artificial elements in China's textile industry has severe environmental consequences, impacting both water and air quality. It is crucial for the industry to adopt more sustainable practices and improve wastewater treatment methods to reduce its ecological footprint.

Fast fashion

China is a leading exporter and importer of textiles, and its textile industry is among the top five polluting industries globally. The industry contributes significantly to the nation's air and water pollution, with the improper dumping of untreated wastewater and the burning of coal to power textile factories, increasing hazardous methane emissions. The textile industry in China is the third-largest source of industrial wastewater in the country, producing 1.84 billion tons of wastewater effluent in 2015, accounting for 10.1% of China's total industrial wastewater discharge.

The textile manufacturing process utilises artificial elements, energy, and large volumes of water, all contributing to pollution. The dyeing process, for example, uses many artificial substances and water, which is often not adequately treated before being discharged into nearby water sources. This has led to the presence of 72 toxic chemicals in China's water, 30 of which cannot be removed, originating solely from textile dyeing. The textile industry is also a major discharger of ammonia and nitrogen, ranking fourth nationwide, and emits heavy metals into the water, including cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, and copper.

To address the environmental impacts of the fast-fashion industry in China, several measures have been proposed. Firstly, the Chinese government should strengthen its environmental tax policy to include carbon dioxide within the scope of offending pollutants. Secondly, brands should leverage their financial position to demand more transparency from their supply chains and shift towards more environmentally friendly wastewater and dyeing practices. Finally, China's economy must continue moving away from its dependence on coal and towards renewable energy sources to power the textile industry sustainably.

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