Public hygiene and polluting dyes

Release of dyes and pigments in textile effluents has been subjected to considerable criticism by the public and the media. Therefore, textile and dye-manufacturers are facing many problems to keep their business running smoothly. Various legislation have been enforced in different countries, not only to protect the environment but also to safe-guard the health and safety of the workers and consumers. The treatment of the effluents naturally involves finances, which ultimately disturbs the economy of the whole industry. To minimize the adverse financial and ecological implications, the dye users are being advised, through different media, to select dyestuffs which may not be harmful, to use various effluents, to optimize the use of dyes and modify dyeing and working techniques. The present article presents several aspects of textile-processing, including dye-selection with various new chromophores, utilization of new blends of fibres and application of revised techniques for fixing dyes. (author)