A new investigative report from Greenpeace, called ‘Dirty Laundry’ features the problem of toxic water pollution resulting from the release of hazardous chemicals by the textile industry in China. Greenpeace accused the Chinese conglomerate supplying Nike, Adidas, Lacoste and other leading brands in discharging hormone-disrupting chemicals and other toxins into the country’s major water systems. Questions about corporate responsibility for the firms they do business with were raised up. 

According to The Guardian, Greenpeace campaigners collected samples from Youngor (a factory in Ningbo, near Shanghai), discharge pipes  and sent them for analysis at laboratories at Exeter University and in the Netherlands. They discovered a range of persistent pollutants in the wastewater from two major plants. Nike, Adidas, Puma, H&M and Lacoste confirmed a business relationship with the Youngor factory though all denied making use of the plant’s wet processes, which are likely to be responsible for the pollution discharges into the Fenghua river.

Nonylphenol, an endocrine disruptor that builds up in the food chain, perfluorinated chemicals, which can have an adverse effect on the liver and sperm counts, as well as other toxins were found in water and fish.

These chemicals were detected in small quantities, but they are hard to break down so they tend to accumulate in nature to dangerous levels. Although the chemicals are not yet illegal in China, they are banned in the EU and many developed nations.

Greenpeace says, these results are indicative of a much wider problem that is posing serious and immediate threats to ecosystems and to human health. Greenpeace calls up brands and authorities to undertake urgent and transparent actions in order to eliminate the use and release of these hazardous chemicals. A video shot with Nike and Adidas features such celebrities as David Beckham and invites others to become champions of toxic-free future.

In June the environmental activist launched campaigns against Volkswagen and Mattel, turning Barbie into a serial killer.