12/27/2023 0 Comments Mercury high five prop![]() ![]() Other articles of clothing contained elevated levels of phthalates, a group of chemicals often used to make plastic more flexible.Ī clear tote purchased from Zaful contained enough phthalates, including DEHP, DiNP and DnOP, that Diamond and Mertens suggested Health Canada review the product. Health Canada would not give an interview, but in an emailed statement said it "monitors the marketplace and follows up on all identified consumer product risks." Expert: Current regulations on phthalates not strong enough in Canada "If the final product isn't safe for me, it's definitely not safe for the workers that are handling these chemicals to make it," said Diamond. MARKETPLACE What really happens to old clothes dropped in those in-store recycling binsĭiamond pointed to the broader concerns stemming from the industry itself, noting that it's not just the consumer that could be exposed to the ill effects of lead it's the entire supply chain, from mining the lead to shipping the final product. Mertens explained that lead can be used in textile dye pigments, but there are safer alternatives that can achieve the same results. "There were clearly products that were intentionally using lead and intentionally using it in a way that was well above what should be considered responsible - or even safe," he said. Lead is a naturally occurring element that can be found throughout the environment, but Joël Mertens, a product environmental impacts expert at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, said the levels found in Marketplace's lab results were beyond environmental contamination, or the small amounts clothes are exposed to unintentionally during the manufacturing process. Children and pregnant people are more vulnerable, and infants and children are the most at risk, according to Health Canada's website. Lead can cause damaging health effects to the brain, heart, kidneys and reproductive system. Here, she’s holding a purse from Shein that contained over five times the amount of lead that Health Canada considers safe in children’s products. ![]() Miriam Diamond, a professor at the University of Toronto, oversaw the lab testing Marketplace commissioned to test for PFAS, heavy metals and phthalates in clothing. Marketplace purchased a kids raincoat from AliExpress for just $6 US. Tops are available for under $5, sneakers for under $10. These companies boast hundreds to thousands of styles updated daily at rock-bottom prices. Marketplace found garments containing elevated levels of chemicals from three fast-fashion retailers: Zaful, AliExpress and Shein. "We are committed to continuous improvement of our supply chain," the company said. Shein, which sells products both under its own brand and from third-party suppliers, sent an emailed statement to Marketplace saying it had removed the purse and jacket from its app, and would stop working with relevant suppliers until the issue was resolved. ![]() "I'm alarmed because we're buying what looks cute and fashionable on this incredibly short fashion cycle. What we're doing today is to look very short-lived enjoyment out of some articles of clothing that cost so much in terms of our … future health and environmental health. This jacket, purchased for $23 from Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein, contained almost 20 times the limit of lead Health Canada says is safe in children’s products. ![]()
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