Textile Manufacturing: Air Pollution And Its Types

The textile industry is one of the world's biggest polluters, with clothing manufacturing contributing more than ten percent of the world's carbon emissions. Textile mills generate one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution and use 20,000 chemicals, many of which are known to be carcinogenic. The production of textiles releases numerous life-threatening air pollutants, including nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, chlorine dioxide, formaldehyde, hydrocarbons, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds.

Coal-burning in Chinese textile manufacturers produces soot

The apparel industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, with textile mills generating one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution and using 20,000 chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, to make clothes. Chinese textile factories contribute significantly to air pollution by burning coal for energy, producing about three billion tons of soot annually. This air pollution is linked to respiratory and heart disease. China's abundant coal reserves have historically been viewed as a means to avoid dependence on foreign energy suppliers. However, China's coal combustion has become a growing climate concern, as the country burns more coal than the rest of the world combined.

Chinese textile manufacturers, like other energy-intensive industries, rely on coal as a heat source. In the fabric preparation phase, a lot of chemicals, water, and heat are used. Coal is burned to heat the boilers, releasing nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Without proper regulations, such as those set by the EPA, these toxic vapors would pollute the air and surrounding areas. China's coal-fired power plants have accelerated the country's emissions of energy-related greenhouse gases, with its coal plants driving up emissions by nearly 6% in the last year alone.

To address this issue, initiatives like the Apparel Impact Institute (AII) aim to decarbonize the fashion industry, particularly textile mills. The AII promotes the implementation of low-hanging goals, such as installing meters and wrapping pipes to recapture steam and heat, to improve efficiency in coal burning. However, the ultimate goal is to transition away from coal, which remains a challenge for the industry.

While natural gas and biomass are potential alternatives, they come with their own set of considerations, such as availability and the potential impact on food prices. Solar power can be utilized for other aspects of mill operations, but it may not be sufficient for powering boilers. Therefore, innovation is needed to develop renewable and clean energy solutions specifically for boilers, or alternative technologies such as waterless dyeing systems or dyes that don't require high heat.

In conclusion, coal-burning in Chinese textile manufacturers is a significant contributor to soot production and air pollution. To mitigate this issue, efforts are being made to improve energy efficiency and transition to cleaner energy sources. However, finding viable alternatives to coal combustion remains a complex task, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions in the industry.

Dyeing and finishing products cause water pollution

The textile industry is a major contributor to water pollution, with textile mills generating one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution. The dyeing and finishing processes in particular have a significant environmental impact.

Textile mills use a vast array of chemicals in the dyeing and printing of fabrics, with more than 8000 chemicals used in various processes of textile manufacture. Many of these chemicals are poisonous and harmful to human health. The dyeing process requires large quantities of water, with an average-sized textile mill using about 1.6 million litres of water per day, of which 16% is consumed in dyeing and 8% in printing. Specific water consumption for dyeing varies from 30 to 50 litres per kg of cloth, depending on the type of dye used.

The dyeing section contributes to 15-20% of the total wastewater flow, with water also required for washing the dyed and printed fabric to achieve washing fastness and bright backgrounds. Washing agents like caustic soda-based soaps and enzymes are used to remove surplus colour and paste from the substrate. The World Bank estimates that 17-20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and finishing treatment, with 72 toxic chemicals identified in water solely from textile dyeing, 30 of which cannot be removed.

The entire dyeing process releases dye-containing effluents that can contaminate nearby water bodies and adversely impact the biotic communities. These effluents can contain heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury, which can be transported to remote areas through contaminated streams and oceans. Dyes are also recognised as primary water contaminants, affecting the physio-chemical properties of water and potentially intervening with light penetration, leading to elevated Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and reduced light availability for aquatic vegetation. This can impact the entire aquatic food chain.

Efforts are being made to address the issue of water pollution from the textile industry, with researchers developing new materials to clean up dyes and other pollutants from industrial wastewater. Regulatory bodies like the ecological and toxicological association of the dyestuffs manufacturing industry (ETAD) are also working to address these risks. However, challenges persist due to the nature of textile dyes and the lack of enforcement of regulations on the industry.

Fabric-finishing operations release formaldehyde

The apparel industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet. Textile mills generate one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution and use 20,000 chemicals, many of them carcinogenic, to make clothes. In addition to water pollution, fabric-finishing operations can release formaldehyde into the air.

Formaldehyde is a colourless, strong-smelling chemical widely used in wrinkle-resistant and permanent-press fabrics to impart crease resistance during wear and laundering. It is commonly used on cotton and cotton-polyester blend fabrics. Formaldehyde-based resins, such as urea-formaldehyde resin, are used in fabric-finishing operations to provide crease resistance, dimensional stability, and flame retardance for textiles. They can also serve as binders in textile pigment printing and dyeing.

The release of formaldehyde during fabric-finishing operations can have significant health risks. Exposure to formaldehyde vapours can cause skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation in workers. It can also lead to sensitisation to specific chemicals in some cases. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to test for formaldehyde release and ensure quality control standards are met. Fabrics should be stored unwrapped in well-ventilated areas to allow for the dispersal of any formaldehyde released. Additionally, containers of formaldehyde resins should be properly labelled and stored separately from catalysts, hardeners, or sources of heat to prevent leaks and spills.

Several countries have adopted standards to regulate the use of formaldehyde in clothing and textiles. For example, Japan has a legal limit of less than 75 ppm of free formaldehyde in textile fabrics, and no formaldehyde is tolerated in infant clothing. Similarly, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, and South Korea have also implemented regulations to address the presence of formaldehyde in textiles. These regulations aim to protect the health of consumers and reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry.

Fossil fuels and chemicals used in production cause air pollution

The textile industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, with textile mills generating one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution and using 20,000 chemicals, many of which are known to be carcinogenic.

The use of chemicals in the manufacturing process also contributes to air pollution. Bleaching operations release chlorine dioxide, while fabric printing releases hydrocarbons, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Fabric-finishing operations can release formaldehyde, and the printing process can increase the concentration of acetone, isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone, and ozone.

The excessive use of chemicals can be minimized by replacing them or optimizing production processes. However, the lack of effective and economical wastewater treatment technology means that industrial effluents from textile mills, containing alkalis, residual colors, starches, and cellulose, are often dumped untreated, resulting in soil degradation and the potential pollution of other ecological resources.

The impact of these pollutants on local and global air quality must be further studied to implement effective measures to reduce the air pollution caused by the textile industry.

Solid waste pollution from fibres, hemp, yarn and fabrics

The apparel industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet. Solid waste pollution is a significant issue in the textile industry, particularly when it comes to fibres, hemp, yarn, and fabrics. These materials are created directly from production lines, and the waste generated can have harmful environmental impacts.

Fibres, hemp, yarn, and fabrics can all be classified as solid waste. This waste is produced at various stages of the textile production process, from the initial fibre production to the finishing treatments. The waste generated from these processes can include yarn, fabric scraps, and apparel cuttings, which are often disposed of in landfills, incinerated, or recycled. One of the biggest challenges with solid waste pollution is the proper disposal of hazardous chemicals and solvents used in the textile industry. Storage drums and plastic containers that hold these substances can become toxic-solid waste pollutants if not properly handled and disposed of.

Cones, looms, and cardboard reels used during manufacturing also contribute to solid waste pollution. Leftover powdered dyes, dye containers, scrap metal, oily cloths, and wastewater sludge are additional sources of solid waste. Improper disposal of these materials can contaminate soil and groundwater sources.

The environmental impact of solid waste pollution from fibres, hemp, yarn, and fabrics is significant. The textile industry's use of harmful chemicals, water consumption, and energy use contribute to the pollution generated. For example, the production of hemp yarn has been associated with high water usage and pesticide use, while cotton cultivation requires large amounts of water, fertilisers, and pesticides.

To address solid waste pollution, some companies have implemented strategies to recover waste fibres and prevent them from ending up in landfills. The EU has also introduced measures to promote ecological criteria in textile production, including the EU Ecolabel, which gives visibility to products that cause less water and air pollution. Extended producer responsibility schemes are also being implemented, requiring producers to cover the costs of separate collection, sorting, and recycling of textiles.

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