Potential Toxicity And Safety Issues Associated With Imported Textile And Apparel Products
By David Brookstein, Sc.D., Dean, School of Engineering and Textiles, Executive Director for Research, Philadelphia University
In the mid 1970s, medical evidence indicated that inhaling high levels of asbestos fibers over a
period of time could result in diseases for which there is no cure including asbestosis, lung
cancer and mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest or abdominal lining).
Unfortunately, by that time people all over the world had been exposed to this toxic agent and even now, after exposure more than 30 years ago, they are being diagnosed with serious and life-threatening illnesses associated with this textile product.
While United States textile and apparel manufacturers have identified and prohibited the use of various toxic agents, there is growing concern that some imported textile and apparel products may have remnants of these agents on them.
The latest data indicate that Chinese textile and apparel imports to the United States have a dollar value of more than $32 billion in 2006 and are up by 27 percent over 2005. This should be a matter of concern because textile and apparel products are often dyed and finished with a wide variety of chemicals, no longer in use in the United States due to their environmental impacts or because these processes have been shown to be toxic to the consumer. A particular health concern would be the use of formaldehyde — classified as a cancer-causing agent that also produces skin rashes, eye and respiratory irritations — in the manufacturing process.
In New Zealand, in August 2007, dangerously high levels of formaldehyde were found in Chinese-made children's clothes. In response to retailers’ concerns, the New Zealand Ministry of Consumer Affairs plans to initiate a program to test for formaldehyde in clothing using at least 100 items of children’s/adults’ clothing and baby wear from a range of countries. Moreover, two Australian importers recently recalled Chinese produced blankets found to contain three times the acceptable limit of formaldehyde.
The United States government is now conducting hearings on safety issues associated with imported products. Earlier this year, in July 2007, a Federal Interagency Working Group on Import Safety (IWGIS) was formed after Mattel recalled millions of toys made in China containing lead-based paint and reports surfaced of tainted food products and toothpaste from China. The "recent dangers found in some imported products are warning signs to us," said Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, who led the IWGIS 12-member panel. “They're warning signs that our present system is not keeping pace.”
In addition to formaldehyde, dangerous textile dyes and finishing agents, no longer used by U.S. textile manufacturing companies are still in use overseas for textile/apparel production. They are still in use because they are both available and less expensive production processes. The agents, currently not allowed in U.S. manufacture, include:
• Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate — may not be used in textile articles, such as garments, undergarments and linen, intended to come into contact with the skin;
• Tris-aziridinyl phosphinoxide, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) - may not be used in textile articles, such as garments, undergarments and linen, intended to come into contact with the skin;
• Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters — shall not be used in concentration equal to or greater than 0.1 percent by mass in substances or preparations placed on the market;
• Azoic coloring agents — azo dyes which, by reductive cleavage of one or more azo groups, may release one or more of the aromatic amines in detectable concentrations, i.e. above 30 parts per million in the finished articles or in the dyed parts thereof, may not be used in textile and leather articles which may come into direct and prolonged contact with the human skin or oral cavity; and
• Nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylate — may not be placed on the market or used as a substance or constituent of preparations in concentrations equal or higher than 0.1 percent by mass for, amongst others, textiles and leather processing except processing with no release into wastewater or systems with special treatment where the process water is pretreated to remove the organic fraction completely before biological waste water treatment (degreasing of sheepskin).
• There are other chemicals used in the textile dyeing process that also pose serious health concerns including dyes such as Acid Red 114 and Direct Blue 218, considered cancer risks, and certain glycols and nickel compounds.
In view of the potential danger and toxicity issues associated with textiles and apparel it is recommended that a university demonstration project be funded to:
• determine if toxic agents are present in imported textile/apparel products;
• identify which toxic chemicals and agents are being used; and
• quantify the extent of their use.
For the demonstration project, a wide range of apparel items will be procured from mass retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Macy’s. The first items tested will be children’s apparel and textile bed products. Laboratory testing at the chosen university will determine if and how much of any of the above toxic agents are present. Each tested item will be categorized as to its type, the retailer, and the registered identification number or
RN, a number issued by the Federal Trade Commission. The RN number along with the required country of origin tag will enable the academic researchers to identify the origin of any items with toxic agents.
October 2, 2007
Unfortunately, by that time people all over the world had been exposed to this toxic agent and even now, after exposure more than 30 years ago, they are being diagnosed with serious and life-threatening illnesses associated with this textile product.
While United States textile and apparel manufacturers have identified and prohibited the use of various toxic agents, there is growing concern that some imported textile and apparel products may have remnants of these agents on them.
The latest data indicate that Chinese textile and apparel imports to the United States have a dollar value of more than $32 billion in 2006 and are up by 27 percent over 2005. This should be a matter of concern because textile and apparel products are often dyed and finished with a wide variety of chemicals, no longer in use in the United States due to their environmental impacts or because these processes have been shown to be toxic to the consumer. A particular health concern would be the use of formaldehyde — classified as a cancer-causing agent that also produces skin rashes, eye and respiratory irritations — in the manufacturing process.
In New Zealand, in August 2007, dangerously high levels of formaldehyde were found in Chinese-made children's clothes. In response to retailers’ concerns, the New Zealand Ministry of Consumer Affairs plans to initiate a program to test for formaldehyde in clothing using at least 100 items of children’s/adults’ clothing and baby wear from a range of countries. Moreover, two Australian importers recently recalled Chinese produced blankets found to contain three times the acceptable limit of formaldehyde.
The United States government is now conducting hearings on safety issues associated with imported products. Earlier this year, in July 2007, a Federal Interagency Working Group on Import Safety (IWGIS) was formed after Mattel recalled millions of toys made in China containing lead-based paint and reports surfaced of tainted food products and toothpaste from China. The "recent dangers found in some imported products are warning signs to us," said Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, who led the IWGIS 12-member panel. “They're warning signs that our present system is not keeping pace.”
In addition to formaldehyde, dangerous textile dyes and finishing agents, no longer used by U.S. textile manufacturing companies are still in use overseas for textile/apparel production. They are still in use because they are both available and less expensive production processes. The agents, currently not allowed in U.S. manufacture, include:
• Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate — may not be used in textile articles, such as garments, undergarments and linen, intended to come into contact with the skin;
• Tris-aziridinyl phosphinoxide, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) - may not be used in textile articles, such as garments, undergarments and linen, intended to come into contact with the skin;
• Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters — shall not be used in concentration equal to or greater than 0.1 percent by mass in substances or preparations placed on the market;
• Azoic coloring agents — azo dyes which, by reductive cleavage of one or more azo groups, may release one or more of the aromatic amines in detectable concentrations, i.e. above 30 parts per million in the finished articles or in the dyed parts thereof, may not be used in textile and leather articles which may come into direct and prolonged contact with the human skin or oral cavity; and
• Nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylate — may not be placed on the market or used as a substance or constituent of preparations in concentrations equal or higher than 0.1 percent by mass for, amongst others, textiles and leather processing except processing with no release into wastewater or systems with special treatment where the process water is pretreated to remove the organic fraction completely before biological waste water treatment (degreasing of sheepskin).
• There are other chemicals used in the textile dyeing process that also pose serious health concerns including dyes such as Acid Red 114 and Direct Blue 218, considered cancer risks, and certain glycols and nickel compounds.
In view of the potential danger and toxicity issues associated with textiles and apparel it is recommended that a university demonstration project be funded to:
• determine if toxic agents are present in imported textile/apparel products;
• identify which toxic chemicals and agents are being used; and
• quantify the extent of their use.
For the demonstration project, a wide range of apparel items will be procured from mass retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Macy’s. The first items tested will be children’s apparel and textile bed products. Laboratory testing at the chosen university will determine if and how much of any of the above toxic agents are present. Each tested item will be categorized as to its type, the retailer, and the registered identification number or
RN, a number issued by the Federal Trade Commission. The RN number along with the required country of origin tag will enable the academic researchers to identify the origin of any items with toxic agents.
October 2, 2007
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