Waste from clothing companies ends up in furnaces? A Polish company is on the list
“Clothing waste, including fabrics, plastic, rubber and other materials from well-known brands, was burned in seven factories,” reports Reuters. He adds that factories burned clothing waste to save on fuel costs, and the negative effects affected their employees.
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Waste from clothing companies feeds furnaces in brick factories? LICADHO report reveals
On Monday, November 20, Reuters revealed the contents of a report prepared by the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, known by its French acronym LICADHO.
After visits to 21 brick factories in Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia – and the neighboring Kandal province, which took place from April to September, and interviews with current and former employees, it emerged that seven factories were burning clothing waste from at least 19 known world clothing brands.
A report by a human rights group shows that this has had consequences for the health of the women and men working there.
“Several workers reported that burning clothing waste caused them to suffer from headaches and breathing problems. Another employee reported that it made her feel particularly unwell during her pregnancy” – quotes the “Business Insider” report.
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Burning clothing waste can release toxic and carcinogenic substances
As Reuters notes, burning clothing waste – if the process is not carefully controlled – can release substances that are toxic to humans, and the ashes can also contain high levels of pollutants.
Reuters quotes another report prepared by British scientists from the University of London in 2018, which shows that clothing waste often contains toxic chemicals (including chlorine bleach, formaldehyde and ammonia, heavy metals, PVC and resins).
This report also talked about the ailments that brickyard workers complained about at that time. These included: regular migraines and nosebleeds. The toxic substances mentioned in the latest LICADHO report include: dioxins, which can cause cancer.
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These brands of waste are mentioned in the report. There is also a Polish clothing group on the list
The fashion brands mentioned in the LICADHO report are: Adidas, C&A, LPP’s Cropp and Sinsay, Disney, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, Karbon, Kiabi, Lululemon Athletica, Lidl Stiftung & Co’s Lupilu, Walmart’s No Boundaries, Primark, Reebok, Sweaty Betty, Tilley Endurables, Under Armor and Venus Fashion .
Several brands, including Primark, which sources its supplies from 20 factories in Cambodia, said it was investigating the matter. Similarly Lidlwho stated that he takes LICADHO’s report very seriously.
C&A claims to comply with local laws and regulations and monitors its suppliers through third-party assessments and inspection visits by its local employees. The company says it is investigating any irregularities.
Adidaswhich sources its supplies from 16 factories in Cambodia, said it had launched an investigation into whether waste was being diverted from permitted disposal routes to brick kilns.
“Adidas Cambodia’s environmental policy states that all waste from apparel suppliers must be disposed of either at an approved waste-to-energy facility that is fully regulated and has air quality controls, or at government-licensed recycling centers,” the company said, quoted by Reuters. .
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“We were not aware that our textile waste was being burned in furnaces.”
The list of companies also includes the Gdańsk-based clothing group LPP, which includes brands such as Sinsay, Cropp and Reserved. Its representative said he was unaware that his textile waste was being burned in brick kilns and had contacted his ordering agents in Cambodia.
According to Reuters, LPP said that in early 2024 it plans to organize an awareness day for its agents and factories in Cambodia, with particular emphasis on waste management.
(Source: Business Insider, reuters.com)
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