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Explora: Environment
and Resource Textile industry and environmental pollution

largest consumers of water among manufacturing sectors, the urgent need for effective monitoring and enforcement
particularly during wet processing operations such as of wastewater pH regulations to minimize environmental
washing, bleaching, sizing, dyeing, and printing. Surface and health hazards.
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water is often used in these processes, and when wastewater
from these operations is discharged untreated into rivers 3.4. Soil pollution
and other water bodies, it causes significant pollution. This Textile wastewater also contributes significantly to soil
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ongoing contamination has led to the severe degradation of contamination. Soil serves as the most vital medium for
surface water quality in many regions, rendering it unsafe the growth of plants, crops, and vegetation. The quality
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for consumption. In some areas, surface water has become of the soil directly affects agricultural productivity; thus,
undrinkable, contributing to a shortage of potable water. when industrial wastewater contaminates the soil, both the
5,9
As a result, the cost of drinking water has increased. Water quantity and quality of crops decline. As textile effluents
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pollution also severely disrupts marine and freshwater are typically discharged into low-lying areas, these regions
ecosystems. Pollutants impair the natural food chain, suffer greater soil degradation compared to upland areas.
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making it difficult for fish to find uncontaminated food Contaminants in the wastewater, such as metal ions
sources. Consequently, many fish die, further polluting and salts, accumulate in the soil, disrupting its natural
the water and posing health risks to humans who consume composition and nutrient balance. This pollution not only
them. In industrial areas, the food available to fish often degrades the physical structure of the soil but also severely
consists of industrial waste, making the fish toxic and affects the population of essential microorganisms, which
hazardous to human health. are vital for soil fertility and ecosystem balance.
Figure 2 presents the pH levels of wastewater
discharged from textile industries across different regions 3.5. Hazardous pollution
in Bangladesh. The ideal pH range for wastewater, The textile industry is also a source of hazardous pollutants.
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according to environmental standards, is between 6.5 and For example, chlorophenols, which are frequently found
8.5. However, in several surveyed locations, the pH of textile in textile dyeing sludge, are highly toxic and persistent in
wastewater falls outside this safe range, indicating acidic or the environment. Even when used appropriately, many
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alkaline pollution. Highly acidic (low pH) wastewater can textile-related chemicals remain hazardous to both the
corrode pipelines and harm aquatic life, whereas alkaline ecosystem and human health. The situation worsens when
(high pH) discharges can disrupt the natural balance of these substances are disposed of improperly—without
water bodies. Abnormal pH levels suggest inadequate adequate treatment or containment—leading to the
wastewater treatment in textile-producing areas. The formation of hazardous waste. While industrial processes
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discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater are the primary source of hazardous waste, households also
poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems, soil health, contribute to this issue. Items such as old batteries, paint
and human health—especially for communities using thinners, and insecticide spray cans are common domestic
nearby surface water for daily activities. This highlights hazardous wastes. Regardless of their source, the improper
disposal of hazardous waste can severely contaminate air,
water, and soil, posing long-term threats to public health
and the environment. 9

The environmental pollution caused by the textile
industry leads to multiple forms of impact, which can be
categorized into physical, chemical, biological, and human
health effects. The most direct physical impact is the
ingestion of microplastics by living organisms. Nano- and
microplastics can accumulate in vital organs and tissues,
causing damage. The central nervous system is also affected
by microplastics. 3

In terms of chemical impact, the plastic, synthetic
fibers, and dyes used in textile manufacturing release
harmful hydrophobic pollutants into the environment.
1,3
These pollutants resist degradation and tend to accumulate
Figure 2. pH levels of wastewater from textile industries in various areas
of Bangladesh in biological systems, increasing the environmental
Abbreviation: DND: Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra area. persistence and toxic potential of chemical waste. 3

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 4 doi: 10.36922/EER025160032