Environmental and Social Issues

Environmental Issues

Manufacturing industries often cause a great deal of damage to the environment through the release of both toxic and nonhazardous wastes. As the damaging effects of chemicals becomes more apparant, our society is demanding cleaner and more efficient production methods. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency details environmental consequences, regulations, and proposed solutions in the Office of Complaince Sector Notebook Project: Profile of the Textile Industry.

Pollution Outputs

Wastewater is one of the largest sources of waste produced by the textile and apparel industries. Because the production of textile and apparel goods requires many different steps, wastewater is produced throughout the manufacturing process. High volumes of wastewater are produced in manufacturing operations suchs as desizing, dyeing, rinsing, printing, bleaching, finishing, and cleaning. In fact, each pound of goods produced can be the source of approximately 15 gallons of waste from dyeing and rinsing processes alone. Facilities that are involved in the dyeing of goods often turn out more than one million gallons of wastewater each day.

The textile and apparel industries also release waste in the form of air emissions. However, the amount of polluted air produced is relatively small in comparison to other manufacturing industries. Small amounts of waste are emitted at various stages of production, each stage releasing a different type of emission. Due to the high number of manufacturing stages, there are many different types of air pollutants generated by these industries. Because their are so many different components to the emissions of these industries, it is usually difficult to control and measure air pollution.

Wastewater and air emissions generally receive the most attention from politicians and consumers due to their hazardous nature. Yet, there is another set of nontoxic, residual wastes that results from the production of textiles and apparels. A large amount of fabric waste and other scraps are left over at the end of production. For example, most production methods waste anywhere from 28 to 6 percent of fabric. Furthermore, packaging materials are not always able to be reused or recycled.

Environmental Problems

A number of different environmental problems have been caused by the textile and apparel industry. As previously stated, a large amount of wastewater and polluted air is generated during production. A number of other problems arise that are not simply related to the output waste produced. For example, a large amount of water, energy, and other valuable resources are consumed during the production process.

Additionally, many facilities are not as environmentally sound as they could be due to outdated equipment that is difficult and extremely expensive to replace. Machinery is often very loud and disrupts surrounding communities. Many employees are unqualified for their jobs and lack the training necessary to understand the most efficient way of carrying out an assigned task. Moreover, they do not have the skills needed to improve or recognize harmful practices. The assistance of the government is crucial if this industry is to continually make strides in decreasing waste. However, most businesses are currently limited by the lack of support expended by the government.

Prevention Methods and Proposals

In order to make significant changes in the wastes generated by textile and apparel manufacturing facilities, several preventative measures must be taken. To begin with, companies should begin to set improved regulations for the raw goods used in manufacturing. Reusable containers should be required, and the use of harmful substances should be limited. Individuals should be employed by company and industry executives to research and develop new ways of producing goods using less harmful chemicals or wholly alternative treatments altogether. Simple improvements can be made by ensuring optimal settings of equipment and the optimal environment for the facility.

Additionally, organizations should take every step possible to reduce input amount by recycling as much as possible and by continually updating equipment. In order to achieve a new level of environmental responsibility, better training programs for employees must be established. The government needs to become more involved in assisting individual facilities and in the regulations set forth for the industry. Organizations should be encouraged to create "eco" friendly goods.

Regulations

Like any industry, textiles and apparel must adhere to several standards so that our environment will be preserved. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 regulates the treatment of hazardous materials and waste. Regulations are set for determining what should be classified as a hazardous material, where and for how long such materials can be stored, and treatment of the land where hazardous materials will be disposed.

A number of debates have arisen in recent years concerning cancer rates in communities located near various manufacturing facilities. The Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act addresses these issues by improving the knowledge of possible dangers to surrounding communities. Furthermore, the Clean Water Act serves to keep American bodies of water safe and clean. No other industry act is as important to our environment. The closely related Safe Water Drinking Act requires a certain level of quality in our drinking water. Industry businesses are limited in the wastes they produce so that drinking water will not reach a contaminated level.

The Clean Air Act encourages safe emissions and is an attempt by the government to improve air quality. The act has the ability to suggest emission standards that are apply to the entire textile industry. It also allows these emissions to be screened and companies must keep detailed records of their pollutants.

Textile Industry Sponsored Initiatives Concerning the Environment

The American Textile Partnership brings together researchers at leading universities with the United States Department of Energy, among others. While the top priority for AMTEX is concerned with national competitiveness, some aspects of the group deal with environmental issues. For instance, the Textile Resource Conservation (TRec) falls under the umbrella of AMTEX. TRec's main goal is to encourage manufacturing processes that will do as little harm to the environment as possible. Specifically they aim to employ fewer input resources, without creating any net waste.

Another initiative taking by many companies is called the Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) program. Involvement with the program is voluntary. To be considered by inclusion in the E3 program, companies must show a strong commitment to improving the environment. Goals must be set, steps should be taken to prevent excesssive waste and pollution, and recycling policies improved.

Social Issues

Linda Golodner's "Apparel Industry Code of Conduct: A Consumer Perspective on Social Responsibility" addresses a number of social concerns evident in the apparel industry. Golodner is president of the National Consumers League.

Child Labor

Child labor is one of the leading social concerns for the apparel industry. American companies are constantly looking for ways to reduce production costs. Child labor specifically refers to jobs that prevent children from attaining education or jobs that could be detrimental to the child. The increased minimum wage level and increased import costs make it increasingly difficult for Americans to compete with overseas firms. Many apparel goods are either produced by foreign companies or by American companies whose manufacturing facilities are abroad.

Many foreign countries do not have restrictions on child labor laws. There are several reasons why employing children is a common practice in many nations. Children do not need to be paid as much as adults, they are more easily manipulated, school is not always an option, and it is a tradition in many nations.

Labels

Labels are the key source of information available to consumers about various textile and apparel products. Information on labels is far more likely to be looked at than information on company websites because the contents are available immediately when looking at a product label. Labeling often includes country of production. However, it is important to disclose more information that this on the label - shoppers want to know other details about the production process such labor practices, environmental consequences, and testing procedures.

Sweatshops

The apparel industry is one industry particularly affected by sweatshops. Sweatshops infringe upon some of the most basic rights of individuals concerning working conditions such as wages, safety, and overtime. Furthermore, sweatshops often employ children. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to monitor the practices of overseas companies. Our government does not have the ability to analyze the labor practices of all foreign plants and cannot force them to adhere to American standards.