In addition, a survey has been conducted by Environment Canada and the Canadian Textiles Institute to gather relevant chemical and environmental data from all wet processing textile mills in Canada. If you have an interest in the assessment of TMEs, you may have additional information which could be useful for the completion of this assessment. If so, please complete the form provided . They can include high concentrations of suspended solids and metals, extreme pH and elevated temperatures. Given the many mills across the country, exposure is widespread.
Studies indicate that effluents have harmful effects on a wide variety of aquatic organisms.
An assessment is needed to evaluate the toxicity and biological impact of treated and untreated textile mill effluents on aquatic ecosystems. The assessment should include the examination of the fate and effects of dyes in aquatic environments downstream. Although the possibility of adverse environmental effects from air emissions or solid waste disposal cannot be discounted, these waste streams cannot be included within the scope of the assessment at this time. Because of the chemically complex nature of textile mill effluents, the assessment will be based on a whole effluent approach. There are approximately 2000 textile mills in Canada.