Environmental labels, also known as ecological labels and green labels, are a specific label issued by government management departments or independent agencies and organizations to relevant applicants based on certain environmental standards, indicating that their products or services meet the requirements. . Among them, ecological standards are the core of environmental labeling. Environmental labeling is a certification mark that can be affixed to goods by the recipient to show consumers that the product complies with a specific environment in the entire process of production, use, handling, etc., or in one of the processes, compared with similar products. Promote care needs.
The environmental labeling system implements the voluntary principle, that is, applying for environmental labels is not mandatory, but is decided by the producer independently. It is the product of environmental management measures from administrative decrees to market guidance. Environmental labels are driven by consumers through market factors, prompting producers to adopt higher environmental standards, guiding companies to consciously adjust product structures, adopt clean processes, and produce products that are beneficial to the environment, ultimately achieving the purpose of protecting the environment and saving resources. The application for an environmental label must go through strict inspection, testing and comprehensive assessment, be reviewed and approved by a recognized committee, sign a specific use contract, and pay a certain amount of usage fees before it can be used. The ownership of the mark still belongs to a specific certification committee. This is completely different from the green companies, environmental pioneers, green products, pure natural formulas, etc. that companies claim to the outside world without authorization under the impact of the current wave of green consumption in the world. There are strict standards for the award of environmental labels and regular inspections are required. The use of the label has a certain number of years. If it expires, you need to apply again. However, the green claims made by some companies usually do not have strict standards and audit procedures, and are generally purely commercial in order to cater to consumers' environmental protection needs and obtain profits. Such green signs are beyond the scope of this article. The overall situation of textile environmental labels in EU countries
As an independent entity, the EU has its own unified environmental label, namely Eco-1abel (eco label). Each EU member state also has its own environmental label, which is about* **There are more than 10 species. Among them, Germany has the most environmental labels, with 7 types covering product categories including clothing, carpets, fibers, etc. The more influential ones include oeko-Texloo, ToxProof; EcoTex, etc. Other EU countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Nordic countries also have their own environmental labels. Some of these labels indicate that the limit of harmful substances in the final product is lower than specific requirements and comply with the requirements of human ecology such as Oeko-Texloo; some It indicates that the entire life cycle of the product, that is, the entire production chain from fiber cultivation or production to final waste disposal, meets certain environmental requirements, such as Eco-1abelo. This article mainly introduces several of the more influential signs on the market. . (1) Eco-1abel logo Eco-1abel was established by the European Commission for Enforcement in accordance with Directive No. 880/92. Since the first batch of standards for washing machines and dishwashers were promulgated in 1993, the current products have covered textiles such as bed sheets, T-shirts, etc. 12 types including T-shirts. The logo is shown in Figure l.
The formulation principle of the EU environmental labeling standard is to conduct a lifetime environmental assessment (1CA) of the product from cradle to grave, that is, to conduct a lifetime environmental assessment (1CA) on its raw materials, production process, product circulation, consumption, and final waste disposal. evaluate. This method was developed by 12 expert groups headed by professors from LEIDEN University designated by the European Union in 1993.
The application and award procedures for the Eco-1abel mark are mainly as follows:
(1) The European Executive Committee determines the product categories and environmental standards for each type of product after consultation with relevant parties.
(2) Each member state designates a relevant department to accept environmental labeling applications from producers or importers in accordance with EU standards.
(3) Environmental labeling applications must first be approved by the relevant departments of the member states (within 30 days).
(4) After the application is approved, the applicant signs a contract with the relevant departments of the member states, stipulating that the mark can be used within a certain period of time, and the member states are responsible for collecting application fees and annual usage fees.
(5) The European Union Executive Committee publishes the product list through the communiqué, marking the name of the company awarded, the awarding country, etc. The Eco-1abel mark can be applied for in any of the fifteen EU member states and can be used in 18 European countries including Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
In 1994, the European Union Executive Committee commissioned Denmark to formulate ecological standards for textiles, and in 1996, it adopted standards for bed sheets and T-shirts. According to the regulations of the European Commission, ecological standards are generally revised every three years. Ecological standards for other textiles are currently under discussion.
(2) Oeko-Tex Standard 100 mark, Oeko-Tex Standard 100, was first proposed by the German Hohenstein Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute in Vienna as OTNloo in 1989. By the end of 1991, Austria 10 companies have passed this standard. In 1990, the institute established the International Textile Ecological Research and Testing Association, which includes the German Hohenstein Textile Research Institute 1 International Research and Testing Federation in the Ecological Field. In recent years, the organization has developed rapidly. It has developed 13 organizations and its standards have been revised several times. Due to its high market recognition, the former MUT (Markenzeichen Umwelt6chonende Textilen Consumer and Environmental Protection Textile Association) mark and MST (Markenzeich Schadstof-fgeprutte Textilen) mark have successively given up the original mark and merged with it oOeko-Tex standard 100 original There are only standards for harmful substances on textiles, but after the intervention of MuT and MsT, control of the production process will be the future development direction of this mark.
The long history of Oeko-Tex Standard 100 makes it very well-known in the European market. The number of companies applying for this mark is increasing day by day. As of September 1998, 1,400 products from 700 companies around the world have obtained this mark. The current Oeko-Tex Standard 100 standard classifies textiles into four categories, namely direct contact with skin, non-direct contact with skin, baby products, and decorative products.
(3)Milieukeur mark
Milieukeur is a voluntary environmental labeling program jointly established in 1992 by the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands. Its Chinese meaning is Environmental Review Foundation. The organization is an independent organization composed of representatives from governments, consumers, environmental organizations, manufacturers, retail organizations and other parties. The ecological requirements for textiles emphasize the public responsibility
(4) WhitG Swan logo
The White Swan logo, the white swan logo, is produced by several Nordic countries, including Denmark and Finland. , Iceland, Norway, and Sweden implemented a unified Nordic logo in 1989.
Product categories covered by various labels
The product categories covered by each environmental label are shown in Table 1. In addition to implementing relevant national regulations, the standards for various environmental labels also impose stricter restrictions on parameters such as heavy metals, pesticides, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, and certain azo dyes.
Comprehensive evaluation of EU textile environmental labeling
Environmental labeling, as a new environmental management method, has caused mixed debates among people from all walks of life since its introduction. As an international This is especially true for environmental labeling of textiles, which are sensitive commodities in trade. The following is a comprehensive evaluation of its advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of economy, technology and trade
Advantages of EU textile environmental labeling
The advantages of EU textile environmental labeling are mainly reflected in the environmental labeling system itself.
First of all, as a unique environmental management tool, the environmental labeling system plays an incomparable role in mobilizing enterprises and consumers to participate in environmental protection. Coercive means such as law and administrative management have their own limitations. For example, it cannot ensure that the ecological benefits and economic benefits of social production are coordinated, so that environmental benefits are not guaranteed, and the market mechanism itself cannot guarantee the maximization of environmental benefits. The way to resolve these contradictions is to combine administrative coercion with the guidance of market mechanisms, and the environmental labeling system is exactly such a system.
Secondly, it implements the principle of open and voluntary application and faces domestic and foreign manufacturers equally, which is in line with the WTO's non-discriminatory, transparent and open trade principles.
For example, the EU's Eco-label mark, Oeko-Tex standard 100 and other marks have certain requirements on product categories, standards, evaluation methods, management agencies, application procedures, mark graphics, mark fees and mark certificates, etc. for certain stripping agents, flame retardants, etc. Stain and water-repellent finishing agents, as well as some post-treatment agents, etc. The heavy metal ions remaining in the post-processing of dyes and auxiliaries on dyeing and finishing textiles are indispensable substances for maintaining life in small doses, but when the concentration exceeds a certain concentration, they are harmful to human health. After metal ions are absorbed by the human body, they will be deposited in the liver, bone pathways, kidneys, heart and brain. When metal ions are deposited in a certain organ to a certain extent, it will cause huge harm to health. This is especially true for children, who have a higher ability to digest and absorb heavy metals.
Ecological textiles and basic safety project testing of textile products
Ecological textiles - this idea or concept originated from the European Union and has had an impact on the textile and daily consumer goods markets in Europe and even the world. It has a major impact. It has the characteristics of a green barrier since its emergence. On the one hand, it restricts the export of certain textiles in my country, and on the other hand, it also plays a certain role in promoting the upgrading of my country's textile industry. Relevant departments in my country have formulated the GB 18401 standard based on my country's national conditions and starting from the most basic safety performance aspects. The assessment items in the GB 18401 standard are all testing items for ecological textiles.
1 Definition of ecological textiles
The concept of "ecological textiles" originated from the "Oeko-Tex Standard 100" promulgated by the International Ecological Textile Research and Inspection Association in 1992. ). It has two meanings: broad and narrow:
1) Ecological textiles in a broad sense
Ecological textiles in a broad sense are also called all-ecological textiles, which refer to products from the manufacturing of raw materials to transportation. The entire life cycle of production, consumption, recycling and disposal (the so-called "cradle to grave") must be ecological, harmless to human health, and not destroy the ecological balance.
Ecological textiles must meet four basic premises: ① Renewable and reusable resources; ② No pollution to the environment during the production process; ③ No harm to the human body during wearing and use; ④ Can be used in the environment after being discarded It degrades naturally in the environment and does not pollute the environment. That is, it has the characteristics of "recyclable, low pollution, energy saving".
Organic textiles mean that the processing, consumption and post-processing of textiles are environmentally friendly and pollution-free. Therefore, organic textiles are fully ecological textiles, such as organic cotton products. Organic cotton means that the production process from seeds to textiles is all natural and pollution-free. It is based on natural farming management and does not use any pesticides, chemical fertilizers and genetically modified products. Due to the strict requirements for all-ecological textiles, further research is needed on truly organic textiles, which is the development direction of ecological textiles.
2) Ecological textiles in a narrow sense
Ecological textiles in a narrow sense are also called partially ecological textiles or semi-ecological textiles, which refer to the use of environmentally friendly materials based on the current level of scientific knowledge. Products made from harmless or less harmful raw materials that are harmless to human health or meet an international ecological textile standard are textiles that mainly focus on ecological textiles in one aspect such as production, human consumption or disposal. At present, it is mainly testing the relevant content of ecological textiles in a narrow sense.
2 Testing of ecological textiles
2.1 Testing items of ecological textiles
The testing procedures of Oeko-Tex 200 (testing standard) include 12 categories, namely : pH value determination, formaldehyde determination, extractable heavy metals, pesticide residues, phenol (chlorinated phenol and OPP) content, banned dyes, organochlorine carriers, PVC plasticizer (phthalate) content, organotin compounds, Color fastness, determination of volatile substances and odorous mixtures, sensitive odors, etc.
It should be noted that the testing items for ecological textiles are dynamically changing, and some new indicators are added almost every year. At present, the relatively mature testing items of various testing institutions in my country include: pH value measurement, formaldehyde measurement, extractable heavy metals, banned azo dyes, color fastness, odor, etc.
2.2 Main technologies for ecological textile testing projects
There are three main categories of modern ecological textile testing technologies: chromatographic technology, atomic spectroscopy technology and molecular spectroscopy technology. Among them, chromatographic analysis technology is the most widely used.
2.3 Product standards and labels for ecological textiles
There are many kinds of textile ecological standards implemented internationally. ISO once divided standards and labels involving ecological products into three types:
The first type: ① Examine the entire life cycle of the product, from the extraction of raw materials to product transportation, production use and disposal; ② Voluntary participation; ③ Multiple product categories; ④ Third-party inspection and on-site audit Representative eco-labels. For example: Euroopen Eco-Label (EU eco-label), Nordu White Swan Labe (Nordic white swan logo), The Blue Angel (Germany’s blue angel logo), Flower Label (EU flower label), ECP (Canada’s Environmental Choice Protection Label), ECO-Mark (Japanese Ecological Mark).
The second type: self-declared tags. They either examine the entire life cycle of the product or examine certain aspects of the ecological performance of the product, and are mainly developed by some industry associations or non-governmental organizations. It does not emphasize testing by a third-party laboratory or direct on-site audit, and some even allow the applying manufacturer to self-declare. For example: Oeko-Tex Standard 100 (eco-textile standard 100), Milieukeur mark (Dutch eco-mark), Toxproof Seal (German eco-textile mark), Eco-Tex (German eco-textile mark), Gut (German carpet eco-label) ), Bioland and Demeter (ecolabels established by non-governmental organizations).
The third type: environmental behavior statements and reports are non-selective and are buyer standards set by the buyer, but they are consistent with the standards, regulations and laws of the place where the product is sold. For example: Clean Fashion logo and Comitextil logo.
Among so many ecological textile standards and labels, the most influential ones for the textile and clothing industry are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Euroopen Eco-Label. At the same time, it should be noted that the ecological standard Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is voluntary, and it does not have to meet its assessment indicators before it can be sold in the EU market. If it reaches its assessment indicators, the product can enter the relatively high-end circulation field, and the added value of the product can be improved; but if the product does not meet its assessment indicators, it cannot bear the standard and label, and will enter the relatively low-end circulation field. The added value of the product will be much lower. Of course, such products must also meet the requirements of buyers before they can enter the EU market.
3 Problems in Ecological Textile Testing
Compared with the legislation and standardization of ecological textile technical requirements, both internationally and domestically, the research and development and standardization of ecological textile testing technology are quite complex. lag. Although the German government proposed in 1994 to ban the use of certain azo dyes that may reduce carcinogenic aromatic amines in textiles and daily consumer products, the corresponding test method standards were not officially released until 1998; while the EU test method standards It was not released in the form of EU Directive 2004/21/EC until February 24, 2004; when Oeko-Tex launched Oeko-Tex Standard 100, it also released a guidance document on testing methods for related testing items – Oeko-Tex 200, but no corresponding testing method standards were provided, and some projects were even clearly informed that there was no suitable testing method. These have brought difficulties to the implementation of relevant regulations and standards. There are three main reasons for these problems:
1) There are differences in the definitions of ecological textiles and the levels of technological and economic development in countries around the world. There is still no unified international standard for ecological textiles. .
2) Textile ecological safety performance testing technology itself has certain difficulties.
3) Advanced testing equipment used for testing has significantly increased testing costs.
4 Basic safety items for textile products
4.1 Formaldehyde content
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a strong irritating odor and is easily soluble in water and Ethanol, usually in the form of an aqueous solution.
Formaldehyde is an important organic raw material (aldehyde group, carbonyl group), widely used in the chemical industry, mainly used in the plastic industry (such as phenolic resin, urea-formaldehyde plastic-electrode), synthetic fibers (such as synthetic vinylon-polyvinyl alcohol formal), leather industry, medicine, dyes, etc. The main health hazards of formaldehyde include the following aspects:
1) Irritation: The main hazards of formaldehyde are irritation to the respiratory tract and skin and mucous membranes. Formaldehyde is a toxic substance to the protoplasm of biological cells. It can bind to proteins in organisms, change the protein structure and coagulate them. Severe respiratory tract irritation and edema, eye irritation, and headache may occur when inhaled at high concentrations.
2) Sensitization: Direct skin contact with formaldehyde can cause allergic dermatitis, stains, and necrosis. Inhaling high concentrations of formaldehyde can induce bronchial asthma.
3) Mutagenic effect: High concentrations of formaldehyde are also a genotoxic substance. When experimental animals inhale high concentrations in the laboratory, nasopharyngeal tumors can be caused.
The prominent effects of formaldehyde include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, chest tightness, eye pain, sore throat, poor appetite, palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, memory loss, and autonomic nervous system disorders; Long-term inhalation by pregnant women may lead to fetal malformation and even death. Long-term inhalation by men can lead to sperm malformation and death in men.
In order to make general cellulose fiber-based fabrics anti-shrink, anti-wrinkle and have a flat appearance, necessary finishing needs to be carried out. The finishing agent used will gradually change during wearing and use. The release of free formaldehyde is the main source of free formaldehyde [2].
4.2 pH value test
Generally, the pH value of human skin ranges from 5.5 to 7.0, which is slightly acidic. This is because human sweat glands secrete lactic acid, which makes the skin acidic when sweating, with a pH value of 5.2 to 5.8. The acidic environment on the surface of human skin can protect the balance of resident bacteria and prevent the invasion of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, textiles The pH value between slightly acidic and neutral is beneficial to the protection of the human body [2]. However, fabrics mainly composed of cellulose fibers will be treated with concentrated strong alkali solutions during pre-treatment to achieve the desired effect. This is an important reason for the unqualified measurement results of the pH value of textiles, and will also have a negative impact on the human body. There are certain hazards. The most common cause of human allergies caused by clothing is that the skin comes into contact with residual alkali left on the clothing because it has not been cleaned.
4.3 Banned azo dyes
After using azo dyes containing carcinogenic aromatic amines in textiles and clothing, the dyes may be absorbed by the skin during long-term contact with the human body (this situation occurs in It is more likely to occur when the dye fastness is poor) and spread in the human body. These dyes may decompose and reduce in the human body and release certain carcinogenic aromatic amines. These aromatic amines cause changes in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of cells through metabolism in the body, becoming a cause of human disease and potentially carcinogenic and sensitizing. As early as the 1930s, after Japanese Yoshida discovered that solvent yellow could cause liver cell cancer in mice, people began to realize the dangers of azo dyes and their intermediates in the production and use process. In fact, in 1905, the German health department had confirmed the carcinogenic effects of some aromatic amines from the dyes fuchsin, auramine and naphthylamine. With the rapid development of the dye chemical industry, this situation has further deteriorated. According to incomplete statistics, by the 1960s, there were more than 3,000 cases of bladder cancer in various countries around the world due to work in the dye chemical industry.
In 1994, the German government issued a decree banning the use of 118 azo dyes that can produce 20 types of harmful aromatic amines. The European Union issued Directive 67/648/EC in 1997, which is a decree by EU countries to prohibit the use of azo dyes that can crack and release certain carcinogenic aromatic amines in textiles and leather products. There are 22 carcinogenic aromatic amines. . The European Union issued the 2001/C96E/18 directive on March 27, 2001, which further clarified the textile products included in the control scope. The directive also stipulates the detection methods for three banned dyes, and the detection amount of carcinogenic aromatic amines must not exceed 30 mg/kg. On July 19, 2002, the European Union issued Order No. 2002/61, stating that all azo dyes that release carcinogenic aromatic amines under reducing conditions are banned.
On January 6, 2003, the European Union further issued Directive No. 3 of 2003, which stipulated the ban and sale of chromium-containing azo dyes in the EU's textile, clothing and leather products markets, and came into effect on June 30, 2004.
4.4 Color fastness test and odor test
Analyzing the testing procedures of Oeko-Tex 200 (testing standard), it can be seen that among the assessment items, in addition to color fastness and odor test In addition, other assessment items are basically restrictions on toxic and harmful substances. So why should color fastness and odor be assessed? This is because dye fastness is closely related to the two major assessment indicators of banned dyes and extractable heavy metals. When the dye fastness is not good, such as the presence of banned dyes and extractable heavy metal substances, textiles will be more harmful to the human body. At present, the color fastness items assessed by the GB 18401 standard include water resistance (discoloration, staining), acid and perspiration resistance (discoloration, staining), alkali perspiration resistance (discoloration, staining), dry rubbing resistance, and saliva resistance (discoloration and staining). wait. The presence of odor directly leads to a significant decrease in the wearing performance of textiles. Any odor that is not related to the product or is related to the product but is too strong indicates that there are excessive chemical residues on the textiles, which may cause potential harm to health. . At present, the odors assessed by the GB 18401 standard include musty smell, high boiling range petroleum smell, fishy smell, aromatic hydrocarbon smell, etc.
Controversy over the limits on the concentration of heavy metal ions
With regard to the limits on the concentration of heavy metal ions, the standards for different environmental labels in the EU market vary greatly. This is reflected in:
(1) The concentration limits for the same heavy metal ion are different. For example, Oeko-Tex standard 100 and White Swan do not have any limit on zinc ions; while Milieukeur has a limit on zinc ions. ． 10mg/kg;
(2) The methods for measuring heavy metal ions are different. Some think that it is necessary to determine the total amount of metal ions, while others think that the free amount of metal ions should be measured.
At present, there is considerable academic controversy over whether to measure the free amount or the total amount of heavy metal ions. On the one hand, most current chemical testing methods are used to measure the total content of a substance in a material. The values ??obtained by this method are more realistic, making the statistical results of different laboratories comparable. When measuring the amount of free metal, the test results depend on the test conditions, so the test results of various laboratories are not very comparable. If the free quantity is tested, it will cause unnecessary problems for manufacturers and implementation departments due to the uncertainty of statistical results. But if the total amount testing method is used, another problem is that there is no connection between the free amount of heavy metals and the total amount. The content of heavy metal ions in textiles is not only affected by the above-mentioned production process reasons, but also depends on its dye fastness. For textiles with poor color fastness, the dye will peel off from the textile during subsequent washing, and heavy metal ions will be reduced. In addition, textiles are in contact with human skin, and the amount of skin sweat directly affects the content of heavy metal ions. Everyone sweats differently, and everyone's ability to absorb metal ions is also different. Therefore, measuring the amount of free metal ions does not represent the content of metal ions in textiles in actual use. If measured in total, the total amount of metal ions in most textiles significantly exceeds the prescribed concentration limits. Therefore, measuring the total amount of heavy metal ions in textiles and converting it into free amounts cannot solve this problem. This is a contradiction.
(3) Formaldehyde
The limits of formaldehyde are different for each mark. For example, the Eco-1abel mark and the White Swan mark have a limit value of 30 ppm for baby clothing, while The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 mark has a limit of 20ppm for baby clothing.
Other indicators, such as azo dyes, have a similar situation. The main reason for this phenomenon is that the detection methods used in various standards are different, and the determination of the limit value is based on the limit of the detection method. This difference in technical standards will inevitably limit the development of international economic and trade. .
In addition, from an economic point of view, products with environmental labels are more expensive than other products of the same type. This is because the production of ordinary goods follows the principle of lowest cost, while environmental labels The production of products has an additional layer of environmental protection considerations, and has to deviate from the principle of lowest cost. While general economic activists tend to pursue their own interests, consumers seek the cheapest goods, and producers pursue profit maximization. The environmental labeling system poses a challenge to the self-interest principle of economic operation.
Whether high-price environmental labeling products due to high costs can be recognized by the market is an issue that environmental labeling products must face. Recently, CBI conducted a survey on the factors that European consumers consider when purchasing clothing and found that price, comfort, quality and fashion play an important role in consumers' decision-making to purchase textiles, while environmental labels and brands play a relatively small role. Small, this is another disadvantage that environmental labeling textiles will face in the market.