Are you wearing cancerous chemicals in branded clothes?
Most of these 15 products were innerwear and babywear—items that pose an increased risk of exposure due to their prolonged and close contact with human skin, allowing easier absorption into the body. Alarmingly, the highest concentration was found in innerwear, ranging from 22.2 mg/kg to 957 mg/kg. The highest level (957 mg/kg) was detected in a piece of female hosiery.advertisementAdditionally, 60 per cent of baby and children's products tested positive for NPEs, with concentrations ranging from 8.7 mg/kg to 764 mg/kg.The report also detected NP in the surface water of five major rivers: Cooum and Adyar in Chennai, Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana (Punjab), Bandi in Pali (Rajasthan) and the Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. The research noted that NP concentration in water increases significantly around textile hubs in the country.While many countries, particularly in the European Union, have regulated the use of these chemicals in textiles and cosmetics, India continues to lag. The EU has banned the manufacture and import of textiles containing NPEs. However, due to lack of regulations in the Asia-Pacific region—and in India specifically—these toxic chemicals remain widely used.'The presence of NP in environmental matrices and textile products is a serious public health concern,' said Satish Sinha, associate director at Toxics Link. He emphasised the need for regulatory standards that limit the presence of NP and NPE in consumer products and ensure these chemicals are not released into the environment through industrial effluents. Currently, the only restriction in India applies to their use in cosmetics.Toxics Link also spoke to several textile exporters who confirmed that they manufacture textiles without NPEs for clients in countries where the chemical is banned. 'Alternatives are available. What we need is regulation to ensure the adoption of safer chemicals,' said Sinha.advertisementSubscribe to India Today Magazine
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