*[Enwl-eng] [press-release] Greenpeace Press Release: PollutingParadise;Big brands including Gap exposed in Indonesian toxic water scandal
0 views
Skip to first unread message
ENWLine
Apr 17, 2013, 8:51:50 AM4/17/13
to "ENWL-uni"
Polluting Paradise: Big brands including Gap exposed in Indonesian toxic
water scandal
Jakarta, 17 April 2013 – Greenpeace International investigations have
revealed the dumping of industrial wastewater containing a cocktail of toxic
and hazardous chemicals, and caustic water, directly into the Citarum River,
West Java. International fashion brands, including Gap, Banana Republic and
Old Navy are linked to this pollution through their direct business
relations with PT Gistex Group; the company behind the polluting facility.
“Gap’s latest advertising campaign declares that we should ‘Be Bright’, but
by collaborating with toxic suppliers Gap’s clothes are turning the Citarum
into a multi-coloured mess. Gap and other big brands need to work with their
suppliers in Indonesia and elsewhere to urgently eliminate all uses of
hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and products before it is too
late,” said Ashov Birry, Toxic-Free Water Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast
Asia.
The report “Toxic Threads: Polluting Paradise” published today, details how
the PT Gistex facility has taken advantage of a system that requires little
transparency about its activities and where inadequate laws are failing to
prevent the release of hazardous chemicals. Other companies linked to the PT
Gistex Group include Brook Brothers – which has outfitted 39 of the 44
American Presidents, including Barack Obama – Marubeni Corporation, Adidas
Group and H&M.
A wide range of hazardous substances – including nonylphenol and tributyl
phosphate – were identified in the water samples taken from the PT Gistex
facility’s discharge outfalls. Many of these chemicals are toxic, while some
have hormone-disrupting and highly persistent properties. The investigations
also revealed wastewater from one of the smaller outfalls to be extremely
alkaline or ‘caustic’ (pH 14) indicating that this wastewater had not
received even the most basic treatment before discharge.
“People living along this river, that rely upon its water, have a right to
know what is being released into it, and the customers of the international
brands like Gap have a right to know what chemicals are being used to make
their clothes,” added Birry.
The textile industry is currently one of the major contributors to
industrial toxic water pollution in West-Java, with 68% of industrial
facilities on the Upper Citarum producing textiles. Greenpeace’s Detox
campaign demands fashion brands commit to zero discharge of all hazardous
chemicals by 2020 and work with their suppliers around the world to disclose
all releases of hazardous chemicals from their facilities to communities at
the site of the water pollution. Launched in July 2011, the campaign has
already convinced 17 international brands including Valentino, Levi’s and
Zara to commit to Detox, mobilising over a half a million activists,
fashionistas, bloggers and designers united by a belief that beautiful
fashion needn’t cost the Earth.
For Media Enquiries: Szabina Mozes, Greenpeace International Communications;
email: szabin...@greenpeace.org, mobile: +31 646 16 20 23
For Photos: Alex Yallop, Greenpeace International Photo Desk, email:
alex....@greenpeace.org, mobile: +31 (0) 624 94 19 65
For Video:
A 5-minute b-roll edit with footage relevant to the report can be previewed
and downloaded here: http://tinyurl.com/c4euwyz
Video contact at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam:
maarten.va...@greenpeace.org / +31646197322
NOTES:
1) To download the full report “Toxic Threads: Polluting Paradise” please
visit: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/polluting-paradise/
2) Adidas Group, Brook Brothers, Gap Inc, H&M and Marubeni have had a
business relationship in the recent past with at least one part of PT Gistex
Group, the company associated with the polluting facility (PT Gistex Textile
Division) in Indonesia, which Greenpeace sampled in 2012.
3) Nonylphenol (NP) is a well-known persistent environmental contaminant
with hormone-disrupting properties.
Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is a hazardous chemical that is toxic to aquatic
life, and moderately persistent.
Antimony: high levels of dissolved antimony were found. Antimony compounds
have been associated with dermatitis and irritation of the respiratory
tract, as well as interfering with normal function of the immune system.
Wastewater with a pH value of 14 is very caustic, will burn human skin
coming into direct contact with the stream, and will have a severe impact
(most likely fatal) on aquatic life in the immediate vicinity of the
discharge area.
For more information please visit page 14-15 of “Toxic Threads: Polluting
Paradise”: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/polluting-paradise/
3) Greenpeace International research focused on a large textiles facility in
Indonesia, where we found that a wide range of hazardous substances were
being discharged directly into the Citarum River by PT Gistex Textile
Division, located near Bandung in West Java – where the modern textile
industry in Indonesia is concentrated. Wastewater from the textile industry
is a major source of pollution, especially in the Upper Citarum where 68% of
industrial facilities produce textiles, and where the PT Gistex facility is
located. This factory undertakes polyester weaving and wet processing such
as dyeing, printing, and finishing of polyester.
4) Gap Inc. has already been associated with toxic water pollution on a
number of occasions, in both Mexico
(www.greenpeace.org/international/under-wraps) and China
(www.greenpeace.org/international/putting-pollution-on-parade). A number of
Gap clothing items also tested positive for hazardous chemicals in a
separate investigation by Greenpeace International released in November 2012
(www.greenpeace.org/international/big-fashion-stitch-up)
5). For more information on brands that already have committed to Detox
please visit: www.greenpeace.org/detox
--
From: <smo...@greenpeace.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:05 AM
Subject: [press-release] Greenpeace Press Release: Polluting Paradise; Big
brands including Gap exposed in Indonesian toxic water scandal
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng
water scandal
Jakarta, 17 April 2013 – Greenpeace International investigations have
revealed the dumping of industrial wastewater containing a cocktail of toxic
and hazardous chemicals, and caustic water, directly into the Citarum River,
West Java. International fashion brands, including Gap, Banana Republic and
Old Navy are linked to this pollution through their direct business
relations with PT Gistex Group; the company behind the polluting facility.
“Gap’s latest advertising campaign declares that we should ‘Be Bright’, but
by collaborating with toxic suppliers Gap’s clothes are turning the Citarum
into a multi-coloured mess. Gap and other big brands need to work with their
suppliers in Indonesia and elsewhere to urgently eliminate all uses of
hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and products before it is too
late,” said Ashov Birry, Toxic-Free Water Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast
Asia.
The report “Toxic Threads: Polluting Paradise” published today, details how
the PT Gistex facility has taken advantage of a system that requires little
transparency about its activities and where inadequate laws are failing to
prevent the release of hazardous chemicals. Other companies linked to the PT
Gistex Group include Brook Brothers – which has outfitted 39 of the 44
American Presidents, including Barack Obama – Marubeni Corporation, Adidas
Group and H&M.
A wide range of hazardous substances – including nonylphenol and tributyl
phosphate – were identified in the water samples taken from the PT Gistex
facility’s discharge outfalls. Many of these chemicals are toxic, while some
have hormone-disrupting and highly persistent properties. The investigations
also revealed wastewater from one of the smaller outfalls to be extremely
alkaline or ‘caustic’ (pH 14) indicating that this wastewater had not
received even the most basic treatment before discharge.
“People living along this river, that rely upon its water, have a right to
know what is being released into it, and the customers of the international
brands like Gap have a right to know what chemicals are being used to make
their clothes,” added Birry.
The textile industry is currently one of the major contributors to
industrial toxic water pollution in West-Java, with 68% of industrial
facilities on the Upper Citarum producing textiles. Greenpeace’s Detox
campaign demands fashion brands commit to zero discharge of all hazardous
chemicals by 2020 and work with their suppliers around the world to disclose
all releases of hazardous chemicals from their facilities to communities at
the site of the water pollution. Launched in July 2011, the campaign has
already convinced 17 international brands including Valentino, Levi’s and
Zara to commit to Detox, mobilising over a half a million activists,
fashionistas, bloggers and designers united by a belief that beautiful
fashion needn’t cost the Earth.
For Media Enquiries: Szabina Mozes, Greenpeace International Communications;
email: szabin...@greenpeace.org, mobile: +31 646 16 20 23
For Photos: Alex Yallop, Greenpeace International Photo Desk, email:
alex....@greenpeace.org, mobile: +31 (0) 624 94 19 65
For Video:
A 5-minute b-roll edit with footage relevant to the report can be previewed
and downloaded here: http://tinyurl.com/c4euwyz
Video contact at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam:
maarten.va...@greenpeace.org / +31646197322
NOTES:
1) To download the full report “Toxic Threads: Polluting Paradise” please
visit: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/polluting-paradise/
2) Adidas Group, Brook Brothers, Gap Inc, H&M and Marubeni have had a
business relationship in the recent past with at least one part of PT Gistex
Group, the company associated with the polluting facility (PT Gistex Textile
Division) in Indonesia, which Greenpeace sampled in 2012.
3) Nonylphenol (NP) is a well-known persistent environmental contaminant
with hormone-disrupting properties.
Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is a hazardous chemical that is toxic to aquatic
life, and moderately persistent.
Antimony: high levels of dissolved antimony were found. Antimony compounds
have been associated with dermatitis and irritation of the respiratory
tract, as well as interfering with normal function of the immune system.
Wastewater with a pH value of 14 is very caustic, will burn human skin
coming into direct contact with the stream, and will have a severe impact
(most likely fatal) on aquatic life in the immediate vicinity of the
discharge area.
For more information please visit page 14-15 of “Toxic Threads: Polluting
Paradise”: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/polluting-paradise/
3) Greenpeace International research focused on a large textiles facility in
Indonesia, where we found that a wide range of hazardous substances were
being discharged directly into the Citarum River by PT Gistex Textile
Division, located near Bandung in West Java – where the modern textile
industry in Indonesia is concentrated. Wastewater from the textile industry
is a major source of pollution, especially in the Upper Citarum where 68% of
industrial facilities produce textiles, and where the PT Gistex facility is
located. This factory undertakes polyester weaving and wet processing such
as dyeing, printing, and finishing of polyester.
4) Gap Inc. has already been associated with toxic water pollution on a
number of occasions, in both Mexico
(www.greenpeace.org/international/under-wraps) and China
(www.greenpeace.org/international/putting-pollution-on-parade). A number of
Gap clothing items also tested positive for hazardous chemicals in a
separate investigation by Greenpeace International released in November 2012
(www.greenpeace.org/international/big-fashion-stitch-up)
5). For more information on brands that already have committed to Detox
please visit: www.greenpeace.org/detox
--
From: <smo...@greenpeace.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:05 AM
Subject: [press-release] Greenpeace Press Release: Polluting Paradise; Big
brands including Gap exposed in Indonesian toxic water scandal
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages