Plea in NGT against polluting jeans dyeing units in Delhi

Plea in NGT against polluting jeans dyeing units in Delhi.
A plea was on Friday filed in the National Green Tribunal highlighting release of poisonous substances into ground water from polluting jeans dyeing units in northeast Delhi’s Karawal Nagar.
The plea filed by a Delhi resident contended that many dyeing units were operating in the area without requisite permission.
It said that untreated effluents are contaminating groundwater, which is the main source of drinking water in the area and causing severe diseases like cancer.
Karawal Nagar resident Subhash Chand alleged that these mushrooming jeans dyeing units are affecting the ground water adversely and taking a toll on their health.
A vacation bench of Justice R S Rathore and Expert Member S S Garbyal posted the matter for hearing on July 4.
Besides the Environment Ministry and the Delhi government, the plea has made nine persons, who run dyeing units, as parties in the case and said that they were using dangerous chemicals, which seep through drains and cause water pollution in the area.
“Direct the respondents to take action including closure and shifting of the units in question situated in Panchal Vihar, Delhi if it is found that water, noise and air pollution is being carried from their premises,” the plea said.

CBI to probe illegally set up cloth dyeing units in Mustafabad

CBI to probe illegally set up cloth dyeing units in Mustafabad.
Following the reports, the Delhi High Court on Friday asked the CBI to conduct a probe to find out the names of officials who gave licences to run industrial units in residential areas where carcinogenic by-products are causing ground water pollution.
A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar decided to order an inquiry after it found out that the Delhi Police have failed in performing their duty and has been a mute spectator to such activities.
A CBI inquiry was necessary as one person had died due to discharge of carcinogenic chemicals by cloth dyeing units in Mustafabad locality of northeast Delhi, said the court.As reported by Millennium Post on May 15, the genesis of the abnormal rate of cancer was due to toxic chemicals used by the denim dyeing units operating illegally, in Mustafabad locality of North East Delhi.
"As long people are alive in that area, it is alright.
But people have died, that too poor people," said the bench.
It queried the authorities after taking cognisance of a news report about the discharge of carcinogenic chemicals by cloth dyeing units in Mustafabad locality of northeast Delhi.
According to the residents, they are elated with the news of CBI probe to curb the epidemic of carcinogenic chemical via cloth dyeing units.
Shiv Vihar, where most of the illegal colouring units are located, has a population of over 80,000 people.
According to its residents, it is among the ‘most backward’ places in Delhi; the area is also among the 90 minority districts identified by the UPA government.

Daunting water challenges across industries

Nearly 15 years after the textile processing units were issued that notice, the textile town is facing a grave situation this summer.
“We then received notice from the government asking us not to draw water for industrial use for a month.
The construction industry, which is already affected by sand shortage, is staring at a severe water crisis and yet another slowdown.
While the electricity generation from the hydro-plants at Mettur has been stopped due to water shortage, the water-intensive thermal plants are self-sufficient, thanks to desalination plants.
————————————————————– Andhra Pradesh – Dyeing units guzzling groundwater, residents mull moving out Dyeing units, which have mushroomed in and around Nagari municipality in Chittoor district, are one of the key suppliers of coloured yarn to the textile industries of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat, yet their indiscriminate pumping of groundwater is taking a toll on water availability.
For the washing and colouring of yarn material, each dyeing unit draws thousands of gallons of water, and almost all of it from the ground.
————————————————————– Telangana – When power undercuts water supply The coal-rich town of Yellandu is facing a severe drinking water shortage with the historic Yellandulapadu tank, the prime drinking water source here, fast drying up ahead of the harsh summer months.
The treated mine water is augmenting water supply in Yellandu.
Yet the coal town is grappling with scarce water sources, a poor water supply network, and a mismatch between demand and supply of water.
The coal town needs 5.8 MLD to fully cater to the drinking water requirements of its population of around 40,000, sources said.

Patagonia’s Clean Color collection features plant-based dyes

Patagonia’s Clean Color collection features plant-based dyes.
In a radical move away from synthetic dyes, the Clean Color line features soft earth tones made from food waste, silkworm excrement, and dried beetles.
Take a quick glance at Patagonia’s new Clean Color clothing collection, and you’ll notice that there’s not a lot of variation when it comes to color.
All the pieces are either green, brown, pink, gray, cream, or a combination.
This is because they’ve been dyed with natural ingredients – palmetto and mulberry leaves, pomegranate rinds, citrus peels, cochineal beetles, silkworm excrement, and leftover fruit – which restricts the color palette but produces beautiful soft hues that are cleaner and safer than their synthetic counterparts.
Patagonia has always been one to push the limits of innovative and environmentally responsible manufacturing, and this is just one more example of its forward-thinking approach.
In the company’s 2016 guide, “The Responsible Company,” founder Yvon Chouinard wrote about some of the problems with the dyeing industry: “The textile industry is one of the most chemically intensive industries on earth, second only to agriculture, and the world’s largest polluter of increasingly scarce freshwater.
The World Bank estimates nearly 20 percent of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment.
"Wastewater that goes – often illegally – untreated or partially treated returns to a river, where it heats the water, increases its pH, and saturates it with dyes, finishes, and fixatives, which in turn leave a residue of salts and metals that leach into farmland or settle into the viscera of fish.” Patagonia currently uses a company called Swisstex California to dye its fabrics, with a special process that uses half as much water as an average dyehouse in the United States and treats all wastewater fully before releasing it.
But clearly the company wants to take it further with their introduction of these natural dyes.

Big Q, Easy A: What Does ‘Green Fashion’ Really Mean?

What does it mean for a product to be “Eco-Friendly”?
Not all products are completely biodegradable, but the more organic materials used in a product, the more biodegradable the product and better for the environment.
Brand Example: Svilu Buy It!
Brand Example: Back Beat Rags Buy It!
Brand Example: Ashley Pittman Buy It!
Ashley Pittman Earrings, $375; ashleypittman.com What does it mean for something to be upcycled?
Often, companies will supplement environmental sustainability with programs that give back to communities or provide training to artisans, creating lasting sustainability qualify What is sustainable production?
Can a product be eco-friendly, but not sustainable?
Can a product be sustainable, but not eco-friendly?
This does not mean that the product is necessarily eco-friendly; however, it’s pretty safe to assume that if something is eco-friendly or sustainable, that it has been ethically made.