subject: Nature Conservation Society: How to cross the border of toxic shoes - shoe industry [print this page] Nature Conservation Society: How to cross the border of toxic shoes - shoe industry
When we wear ordinary Leather shoes When there is a danger that many environmental toxicants into the body through the skin, or the shoes thrown into landfill waste dump, the environmental toxicants into the soil and groundwater. Swedish Nature Conservation Society of daily consumer goods in a study of environmental toxicology, shoes are part of their research. Towels, T-shirt, sunscreen and Plastic Swedish Nature Conservation Society shoes (SSNC) to date of daily consumer goods.
Analysis of the shoes by the SSNC and South Africa, Uganda, the Philippines, India, and white Russia Environmental protection Organization partners Cooperation Completed. These organizations in their respective countries purchase 20 pairs of well-known brands of shoes. They analyzed heavy metals and organic compounds. Most of their study compounds can be assumed from the tannery, save or Leather Staining.
Toxic form of goods across the border through
To shoes, for example, shoe production in several different countries, Export And imports. An international environmental toxicants may be prohibited by a pair of shoes into the country, polluting the environment and human. Existing chemical substances which often means that imported goods less poison control or detection, or non-existent control or detection.
Leather industry produces large quantities of wastewater and organic matter degradation consumes oxygen during the same time, also produced a lot of salt and other chemicals. Leather production also generate solid waste, as contaminated sewage sludge and leather wastes.
Analysis showed that all the shoes in different concentrations of metals are present. Although the shoes are not in immediate danger, but may pose long-term human and environmental health risks, will eventually become waste shoe, shoes containing metal and semi-metal will eventually filter out into the environment and the natural environment.
Shoes found in high concentrations of chromium, chrome tanned leather accounted for 80-85% of all the world. When the shoes and waste thrown into landfill or incineration, the most common and most toxic form of chromium and trivalent chromium, oxidation of these toxic substances into highly toxic and carcinogenic hexavalent chromium.
Study found a number of shoes, the higher the concentration of toxic metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury.
SSNC that - Taking into account the chromium oxidation may become more toxic hexavalent chromium, it must be recognized as leather waste and hazardous waste management accordingly.
- Leather and Shoe Industry as soon as possible to non-chrome leather production. Production processes are being developed to enable production of high quality chrome-free leather.
Carcinogenic substances in consumer products is unacceptable, regardless of the concentration.
Because it can react with DNA of concentrated compounds led to increased cancer risk line, such as certain aromatic amines. This means that there is no safe concentration.
- The process in the manufacture of consumer products, chemical substances used in production and distribution of hormones interference is unacceptable,
- Intentionally added to consumer products in semi-metals and highly toxic metal arsenic, lead, mercury is not acceptable.
- Consumer products that can not be a highly sensitive compounds.
- Not easy to degradation, accumulate in biological compounds should be phased in human society from the repeal of the materials used.
- Politicians must take responsibility for improving Sweden, the EU and the world's Product Safety Act.
- Manufacturers must take responsibility, voluntary efforts to develop alternative production methods, remove the harmful chemicals in products.
