The fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, has received a considerable amount of flak for its role in actively accelerating environmental degradation. In its attempt to satiate growing appetites from consumer markets and capitalise on shifts on consumer shopping behaviours, clothing is sold at increasingly affordable prices and produced at an unprecedented rate.
However, at what cost? Bailey, Basu and Sharma (2022) elucidate how the fashion industry ranks as the second most polluting industry in the world, accounting for 8% of all carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater pollution worldwide. In fact, 35% of all microplastics released into oceans originate from synthetic textiles (Lissaman, 2021). Polyester, the primary synthetic fibre used in clothing production accounts for 62% in the clothing market share also presents ramifications for the environment as it sheds 6x more microplastic fibres than nylon (ibid.)
To present additional perspectives on the extent of pollution in the fashion industry, let’s veer away from the conversation on microplastics to focus instead on how harmful textile effluents impact our waters. Bailey et al. (2022) also reveals that a total of over 1900 chemicals were discovered in the textile production process. Effluents from textile dyeing, manufacturing and finishing processes contain a complex amalgam of toxic substances such as organic and inorganic components and surfactants. Moreover, Gupta, Biswas and Agrawal. (2017) highlights how textile effluents are characterised by a higher pH than was normal, high turbidity, heavy metals, sulfuric acid, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and low dissolved oxygen (DO). Collectively, these contaminants work synergistically to pollute surface water and recipient water bodies such as the ocean and degrading soil. The primary concern about released textile effluents is the presence of COD and BOD that work synergistically together to reduce DO in environments, inducing bad odour and eutrophication due to hypoxic conditions.
Additionally, the irresponsible discharge of gallons of textile effluents into waterways is especially dangerous for surrounding communities as they contain heavy metals such as Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) which are notorious for their toxicity. Heavy metals leach out from textile dyes as they are commonly used in complex dyes and are extremely damaging to human health and the environment as they are carcinogenic, toxic and non-biodegradable and easily accumulated in the food chain. Velusamy, Roy, Sundaram and Mallick (2020) emphasise the ill-effects of heavy metal pollution such as its acute and chronic effects on soil environment, affecting soil fertility and plant growth in the process. Furthermore, heavy metal toxicity not only diminishes mental and nervous system capacities but damages the lungs, kidneys and blood composition. Long-term exposure may result in cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, endocrine disruption and neurological impacts (ibid.)
These impacts are especially harmful for Global South communities where fashion production is primarily exported to by the Global North. Not only are these communities significantly disadvantaged – 85% of garment workers do not earn the minimum wage – they are also the population that is most vulnerable to toxic textile effluents. Webber (2017) foregrounds the urgency of the textile pollution issue in highlighting how 70% of China’s water bodies are contaminated by 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater generated from the textile industry, leaving its communities to grapple with adverse health effects such as tuberculosis and cancer.
How does this affect our oceans then? As a majority of the wastewater released by the fashion industry take place in the Global South where environmental regulations are less stringent, these toxic chemicals are eventually transported to marine environments where they are embedded in sediments, consumed by marine life and eventually make our way to us (Le, 2020). Is this not a sobering reality?
References
Bailey, K., Basu, A. and Sharma, S., 2022. The Environmental Impacts of Fast Fashion on Water Quality: A Systematic Review. Water, 14(7), p.1073.
Gupta, B., Biswas, J. and Agrawal, K., 2017. Air Pollution From Bleaching and Dyeing Industries Creating Severe Health Hazards in Maheshtala Textile Cluster, West Bengal, India. Air, Soil and Water Research, 10, p.117862211772078.
Le, N., 2020. The Impact of Fast Fashion On the Environment — PSCI. [online] PSCI. Available at: <https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/7/20/the-impact-of-fast-fashion-on-the-environment> [Accessed 13 April 2022].
Lissaman, C., 2021. Fashion’s Impact On The World’s Oceans. [online] Common Objective. Available at: <https://www.commonobjective.co/article/microfibres-what-to-know-and-do-beatplasticpollution#:~:text=The%20fashion%20industry%20is%20a,oceans%20are%20from%20synthetic%20textiles.> [Accessed 13 April 2022].
Velusamy, S., Roy, A., Sundaram, S. and Kumar Mallick, T., 2021. A Review on Heavy Metal Ions and Containing Dyes Removal Through Graphene Oxide‐Based Adsorption Strategies for Textile Wastewater Treatment. The Chemical Record, 21(7), pp.1570-1610.
Webber, K., 2022. How Fast Fashion Is Killing Rivers Worldwide – EcoWatch. [online] EcoWatch. Available at: <https://www.ecowatch.com/fast-fashion-riverblue-2318389169.html> [Accessed 13 April 2022].