Survey finds hazardous chemicals in garments, surface water of five rivers near textile hubs
The study by Toxics Link published in the report titled "Toxic Threads: Assessing Nonylphenol in Indian Textiles and the Environment" found
nonylphenol ethoxylates
(NPEs) -- a group of endocrine-disrupting chemicals -- in 15 out of 40 textile products examined.
These garments were sourced from popular retail shops and online platforms in 10 major textile hubs across the country, according to the report released on Monday.
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Ten of the NPE-contaminated items were innerwear, with one female hosiery product recording the highest concentration of 957 milligram/kilogramme.
Sixty per cent of baby and children's garments tested also contained NPEs, according to the report.
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NPEs and their breakdown product, nonylphenol (NP), are known to mimic estrogen, disrupting the hormonal system and increasing the risk of developmental disorders and cancers, Toxics Link said in the report.
Despite their documented health risks, these chemicals continue to be widely used in India in textiles and various industrial sectors, including leather, detergents, food packaging, and cosmetics, it said.
"These chemicals are known endocrine disruptors, and their detection in clothing and riverwater is a serious public health issue," said Toxics Link associated director Satish Sinha.
"India needs to urgently regulate the use of nonylphenol not just in cosmetics but also in textiles and industrial effluent," he added.
The study also tested environmental samples and detected NPEs in the surface water of five rivers -- Cooum and Adyar in Chennai, Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana, Bandi river in Pali, and Sabarmati in Ahmedabad.
The Cooum recorded the highest NPE concentration at 70 micrograms/litre while the Buddha Nullah had the highest NP contamination in sediment samples at 460 micrograms/kilogramme and mixed isomers at 1,190 micrograms/kilogramme.
The presence of these chemicals was confined to downstream locations near textile hubs, pointing to industrial discharges as the likely source.
NP, which is persistent and bio-accumulative in nature, poses a long-term risk to aquatic ecosystems and human health.
India restricts NP only in cosmetics while several other countries have set broader regulations due to its toxicity, according to the report.
Toxics Link has called for a national action plan to regulate NP use in textiles, including stricter monitoring of industrial effluent and promotion of safer, biodegradable alternatives.
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