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Explora: Environment
and Resource Textile industry and environmental pollution

regular garment purchases; nonetheless, this trend has environmental pollution caused by the textile industry.
resulted in an increase in textile waste in landfills. To The methodology involves collecting, analyzing, and
4,15
put this into perspective, the amount of clothing discarded synthesizing data from previously published research
annually by Americans has doubled in <20 years, and articles, industrial reports, environmental assessments,
4
without corrective measures, it is projected to triple. A and relevant case studies.
primary driver of this sharp increase is fast fashion. Sources were selected from peer-reviewed journals,
4,15
Many merchants make cheap, low-quality apparel to meet reports from governmental and non-governmental
the demand for ever-changing fashion fads. Fast fashion organizations, and recognized environmental databases.
4
brands such as Forever 21, Zara, and others may release The literature was reviewed with a specific focus on
new items several times per month in response. 4 identifying the types and sources of pollution in textile
Millions of men and women are employed in the manufacturing processes—specifically air, water, and
textile industry worldwide, earning their livelihoods solid waste pollution. Further, the study assessed the
from this sector. While the industry provides economic environmental impact of various textile processing stages,
5
benefits, it also poses serious threats to the environment such as dyeing, printing, and finishing.
and ecosystems. The textile industry produces a vast Data collection was conducted by searching electronic
5
volume of goods annually, generating approximately USD databases like Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate,
1 trillion and accounting for 7% of global export goods. and other academic repositories, using keywords such
5
The industry employs around 35 million workers globally. 6 as “textile industry pollution,” “environmental impact of
However, it contributes significantly to environmental textile production,” “textile wastewater,” “air emissions in
pollution in various ways. Due to its large scale, the textile industry,” and “solid waste from textile processing.”
6,12
industry consumes large amounts of energy, most of which Articles published between 2000 and 2023 were prioritized
is derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. This energy to ensure relevance and currency of the information.
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consumption results in the emission of large amounts of
toxic gases, including nitrogen oxides (NO ) and sulfur The findings were thematically categorized to highlight
X
oxides (SO ), which are harmful to human health and key environmental concerns and the pollution footprint of
X
contribute to global warming by raising atmospheric different textile manufacturing stages. Where applicable,
temperature. Furthermore, the textile industry is a major comparative data and statistics were tabulated or referenced
7
to support critical analysis.
water consumer, particularly for processes such as cleaning
and dyeing. It also generates substantial wastewater, which 3. Literature review
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is frequently discharged through drainage systems into
natural water bodies such as rivers, canals, and oceans The textile industry is one of the large sectors contributing
or infiltrates into the soil. 1,8,13,14 This water pollution significantly to the stabilization of the global economy.
reduces the availability of clean, usable water and, in some Many countries depend on this sector for remittance
countries, has led to increased water costs. 9,10,16 In addition, generation. It also fosters international trade by
the pollutants degrade soil quality and reduce its fertility establishing commercial relationships between countries
due to the accumulation of toxic substances. As a result for the exchange of textile goods. Air pollution from the
9,17
of these various forms of pollution, the natural cycles of the textile industry arises mainly from the release of nanofibers
Earth’s ecosystems are disrupted. 10,18 The environmental and microfibers, as well as from the combustion of fossil
damage caused by the textile industry is not only a present fuels used in various production processes. During dyeing
concern but also a threat to future generations, with operations, the emission of toxic gases further contributes
significant implications for global climate change. 4,5,11,19 to atmospheric contamination. Workers exposed to
such environments may develop long-term respiratory
The objective of this article is threefold: (1) to describe and systemic diseases due to continuous inhalation of
various kinds of environmental pollution caused by polluted air.
the textile industry; (2) to examine the various types of
pollution involved; and (3) to discuss the responsibilities 3.1. Toxic nature of textile dye
of the textile industry in contributing to environmental Heavy metals such as iron, lead, nickel, copper, zinc,
pollution. and chromium are found in trace amounts in textile
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2. Methodology dyeing effluents. The synthetic azo dyes used in textile
manufacturing are particularly toxic and carcinogenic,
This study adopts a qualitative research approach through posing a serious health risk to humans. These dyeing
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a comprehensive literature review to examine the effluents are released into nearby water sources,

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/EER025160032