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Shocking investigation on the pollution caused by fashion industries

Last Updated on 2020/12/07

Environmental impact of the clothing industry

Our clothes, our jeans, and underwear are produced by unsustainable methods.

Greenpeace has produced a sensational report on the catastrophic effects of textile manufacturing in the Pearl River.

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Xintangzhen

Untreated Wastewater from the Jeans factories are released in the Xintangzhen sewage

Photos by Lu Guang/Greenpeace

greenpeace-fashion-04'Environmental impact of the clothing industry

Xintangzhen, Guangdong, is located along the main tributary of the Pearl River.

Like many other cities in the province, it is experiencing a phase of aggressive industrial growth- Xintangzhen specialized in the production of fabrics.

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Jeans are the core market. According to the statistics of the local government in 2008 over 260 million jeans in the city, with 60% exported to Russia, USA, Europe, and other regions

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Many houses or small workshops are often used for the making of jeans, where later the finished goods will be packed on trucks.

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Everybody takes part in the task: children, women, and the elderly. Children help parents to strengthen home-incomes. Every day, each worker at least produces 200 jeans for each of which is paid a few cents.

Environmental impact of the clothing industry-Environmental impact of the clothing industry

A Greenpeace team arrived here to check the area. This channel is highly polluted by waste-water from the processing of the fabric factories. The water is toxic and if it comes into contact with skin it can cause irritation and itching and can be dangerous for the local’s health.

Environmental impact of the clothing industry

Jeans residues covering a valve

most polluting industries in the world

Many migrant workers come here looking for job opportunities. Every morning workers remove with bare hands the residues of jeans that clog the gutters.

most polluting industries in the world

Exhaust water then merge without any treatment in to the Dong river

GU RAO

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Gu Rao is a rich town in Guangdong rich which specialized in manufacturing of sexy lingerie

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In 2009 Gu Rao has produced more than 200 million bras. The city is a specialized manufacturer of underwear and was appointed by the China Textile Industry Association as the “City of Chinese underwear”

impact of textiles and clothing industry on environment

The contrast of sexy lingerie with foul-smelling waters of the river Wuhei is shocking

impact of textiles and clothing industry on environment

The area, due to high concentration of industries in the manufacturing sector is seriously polluted.

negative effects of fast fashion

Rivers are full of garbage. According to residents, the smelly water is not always of the same color: it depends on which chemicals flow into that particular day.

negative effects of fast fashion
environmental issues in fashion industry

Each tonne of textiles pollutes about 200 tons of water. During the process of dying and finishing products, about 2,500 different chemicals are used.

environmental issues in fashion industry

Many hazardous chemicals are used in the textile finishing process. These chemicals can not be completely removed and therefore many will flow in the waters of the rivers.

environmental issues in fashion industry

Gu Rao provides jobs for many families in the area. Children go to school during the day and work at night. These five children attend primary school. One comes from Hunan, one from Guizhou,  the other three are from the area. Every day they earn about 20-30 yuan.

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Source via cinaoggi

Topic: environmental impact of the clothing industry, fast fashion impact on the environment, most polluting industries in the world,impact of textiles and clothing industry on the environment, negative effects of fast fashion, environmental issues in the fashion industry

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