Reducing Pollution

Pollution is the discharge of harmful or poisonous substances into the environment.  Most often, this is the byproduct of inefficient - technological or otherwise - manufacturing and processing. The textile industry is a frequent contributor to this pollution pool. 

Pollution emitted from the textile industry can be divided into three main subgroups:

1.  Water Pollution
2.  Air Pollution
3.  Solid Waste Pollution

Water Pollution

According to the World Bank, 17-20% of industrial water pollution is due to textile dyeing and treatment.  Up to 72 chemicals found in polluted water come directly from the textile dyeing process.  Thirty of these cannot be removed or completely extracted.  At an increasing rate, Earth's water supplies are threatened by industrial pollutants emitted from the textile industry, though, the greatest cause for concern lies in China and India, where most of the textiles, including those consumed in the US, are manufactured.

Increased acidity - a direct result of some chemical usage in the dyeing process - can kill fish and other aquatic life in addition to damaging nearby crops.  It can also cause corrosion of sewers and sewage treatment plants.  The colors used in dyes can block sunlight from penetrating bodies of water, blocking photosynthesis.  With an abundance of chemicals being used in the manufacturing of one garment, it's no wonder what kind of damage can be done.

Air Pollution

Since the Industrial Revolution, air pollution has become a far-reaching concern for all living creatures.  Under normal circumstances, Earth's ambient air consists of 78% Nitrogen, 20% Oxygen, 1% Argon, and 0.03% Carbon dioxide along with minor amounts of of Neon, Methane, Helium, etc.  An unstable change in this air composition is regarded as air pollution.

The boilers, ovens and storage tanks used in the textile-manufacturing process can emit dust, aerosols, and harmful fumes and gases. Carbon, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Sulfur and Chlorine, produced in the textile-manufacturing process, can lead to long-term vision and respiratory problems, the blocking of sunlight, fog persistence and even death.  The health effects are similar to those exhibited in long-time cigarette smokers. Young children and elderly people are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution.  Long-term health effects include heart disease, nerve damage and even lung cancer. 

Air pollution isn't only a problem for humans.  It's often a much more serious problem for animal and plant life. Global warming, caused by the increasing amount of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere, threatens entire ecosystems as weather and climate patterns rapidly change. Glacial melting, unusual mass migrations of animals and rapidly drying bodies of water are all indicators of the serious environmental impact of industrialization, of which the textile industry is a contributor.  

Solid Waste Pollution

Residual waste from the textile manufacturing process includes yarn, fabrics and packaging materials; storage containers, chemical drums and cardboard packaging or materials used in the dyeing and knitting process.  These materials are often left in ever-expanding landfills or found littered and inappropriately trashed or recycled.  Simple methods to increase industrial efficiency are often enough to curb the solid waste pollution problem exhibited in the textile industry.  However, it's a slow and sometimes difficult process, especially in developing economies where textile industries are more prevalent.     

Recycling textiles and reusing clothing are simple and effective methods to curb this pollution.  USAgain strives to raise awareness and help make textile recycling a routine practice. With thousands of collection bins across the nation, dropping off old clothing and shoes has never been more convenient.  The pollution created by the textile industry won't go away on its own.  Reusing and recycling clothing is a great way to curb some of these emissions.  Why trash a t-shirt that someone has simply outgrown?  Let's use it again!

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Moussa, Moustafa. Environmental Impacts of Textile Industries. Rep. Netherlands: UNESCO. Print.
"Climate Change | U.S. EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 10 Nov. 2010.
Shinde, Laxman M. Pollution and Its Control in Textile Industries. Rep. VJTI. Print.