MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Muralla St. Intramuros, Manila

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

ME192-3 3rd Term 2015-2016

Make-up Activity
Documentary: The Toxins Return

Submitted by:
Damian, Alexis E.
ME 4 / 2011104536
Submitted to:
Engr. Hans Felix R. Bosshard
Professor

March 23, 2016

The Toxins Return

The documentary presented was situated at Hamburg, a major port city in Germany. It
discusses about the toxins present inside the containers and in the clothes and its health effects.
One worker named Julia Neumann, a former employee of giant clothes employer H&M, became
ill. Her work is to receive shipment full of clothes, mainly jeans. She claims that her sickness is
work-related, that there are toxins in the clothes that she handled. It was found out that she came
in contact with chemicals that are banned for use in Europe and USA. The occupational doctor
stated that her case was not an isolated case. In relation with her case, theres an increasing trend
with the workers getting sick from these industrial chemical worldwide. Although there is a ban
in the use of these chemicals in Europe, there are no legal regulations to the residues of these
chemicals left in clothes.
In India, the textile capital of the world, situated in factory of clothes for big companies
like H&M. In producing textile, chlorinated bleach was used. Chlorinated bleach contains
chlorobenzene, which is used in the bleaching process, and the chemical that was found that
made Neumann sick. Big companies chose to put their factories in India because it will help
them cut costs. In the textile factory, most of the workers cant read or write, so warnings written
on the chemicals dont mean anything to them. The clothes are treated with pesticides so that it
will not attract insects, and this pesticides are a threat to the workers. There is a lack of
occupational safety in the workplace. The workers dont wear anything for protection. The
clothes are bleached first and then dyed with color. The most common color used is black, for it
to stay black, an aggressive dye should be used. One worker stated that only a few people last in
that job because they get sick. He himself have experience skin burn and loss of hair in legs and
arms.
The real danger of these chemicals is that they have the ability to get people sick easily. It
can be mixed with the bloodstream (thru contact) and inhaled. Consumers of clothes with
chemical residues are at risk too because they have no way to detect which chemicals are
present. Also, not everything in label is true, it may say that it was made in Germany, but it isnt.
The Technical Inspection Agency regularly find hazardous chemicals in clothes, like pesticides
residues. Its a problem for the Europe, because India still sells banned chemicals like pesticides.
One worker who was exposed to pesticide, was left unconscious for 2 weeks. Many people die
from exposure to pesticides.
At the Hamburg Port, it was estimated that every fifth container that arrives at the port
have traces of contaminants from toxic gases. Many customs workers get sick by just opening
the container. There are no locks in the container and no warnings. These containers undergoes
toxicological tests, but not all of them. It was found that there are traces of Methyl Bromide, a
odorless and colorless gas, that when inhaled causes irreparable damage. Methyl Bromide is
banned for use in Europe and USA but are regularly found inside containers. Thats why a new

regulation was posted that all containers should be fumigated first before being transported to the
Hamburg port.
Back at the Hong Kong Port, it was discovered that people who fumigate the containers
dont wear any protective equipment and no warnings are imposed, thats why the next worker
wholl open it will be exposed to high levels of illegal pesticide. During a secret meeting, many
workers stated that they have developed sickness from just opening containers. They open
roughly 100 containers a day. All they know is that their sickness are getting worse. China still
manufactures Methyl Bromide because it is a reliable pesticide but is very harmful to humans.
The real problem is within the production of these goods, the pesticides used and the
regulations. Every container should be marked. Even though there are controls, there are no
sanctions. Not all containers are opened at the port, even if it is contaminated. The air inside the
container is very toxic. There are no laws to stop the shipment. Due to European regulations,
containers are only checked, stamped and just sent away. According to Consumer Protection
Agency, there are many dangerous chemicals found in containers, clothes and even toys. Most
toys from China contains toxic chemicals, because they use harmful softeners. Exposure to these
toxins may induce low fertility to male children.

REACTION
I was pretty glad that we were required to watch this documentary. I was shocked to
know that H&Ms jeans once contained chemical residues. I myself, as a consumer, I regularly
buy stuff from store giants like H&M and F21. I once bought pants from F21 that smelled like
chemical. I didnt bought it, but had rashes and had difficulty in breathing. I never knew that they
were harmful chemical residues. I feel bad too for the worker in India who have to exposed
themselves in these type of work. They get sick and cant claim that it was work-related because
the employer doesnt even care about the workers safety. The government should enforce much
stricter laws about the occupational health and safety of the workers. Lastly, the regulations must
be fixed and be consistent, sanctions should be posted too, to protect the people.