For making some clothes, it will need much chemical materials. However, harmful chemicals in the environment can bring more hazard, rather than its benefit. Furthermore, these chemicals can affect the health of customers, employees, and workers. Therefore, H&M make several restrictions for eliminate these materials from their products.
H&M define dangerous chemicals based on intrinsic characteristic approach and consider properties such as persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and toxicity for reproduction, endocrine system, and any other health system. Until now, H&M will restrict any chemicals which are scientifically uncertain. H&M has banned chemicals which are considered as hazardous chemicals for use in the production process and have set the limit values for finished products. All of H&M suppliers have to meet and comply with its following criteria. Nowadays, H&M strategy is ban all of the hazardous chemicals in order to remove throughout the production process. Hence, they can’t be detected in finished products.
H&M group’s positive list contain all chemical products which conform to latest H&M group Chemical Restrictions (MRSL and RSL). This positive list is a part of its effort in securing Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals by 2020 and to foster sustainable production in its industry. H&M prompt the use of this positive list in its supply chain to maintain clean production through the use of safer chemicals. Its positive list will be updated every month, because the progress of scientific research has been improved much more in a short time. Therefore, the positive list should reflect the current state.
H&M’s sustainability commitment assessments include a set of requirements concerning the safety of chemical handling and storage as well as environmental requirements such as the treatment of wastewater and handling of hazardous waste. H&M will encourage for limiting use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides which is commonly founded in cotton cultivation and promoting the recycling of raw materials. Harmful effects of chemical pesticides on human health are respiratory tract infection.
Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL)
The restricted lists of organic materials contains 11 parts which are divided on a product type: packaging, apparel/accessories/footwear/soft home interior products, food contact products, candles, hardline, chemical products, toys, electrical and electronic products and batteries, medical devices, and aerosols dispensers.
List banned chemicals are classified into two groups as listed below.
- Substances are not allowed to be found in whole production sites and used in H&M production lines. H&M will continuously monitor the secure complete phase out in whole production site. For example.
| Alkylphenol Ethoxylates / Alkylphenols (APEOs/APs) |
| Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEO), Nonylphenolethoxylates (NP1EO), Octylphenol Ethoxylates (OPEO), Octylphenolethoxylates (OP1EO), Nonylphenol (NP), Octylphenol (OP), 2-(2H-Bensotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-bis(1,1-dimethylpropyl)phenol |
| Chlorinated Aromatic Hydrocarbons |
| 1,2-dichlorobenzene |
| Other isomers of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexa-chlorobenzene, chlorotoluene, chloronaphtalene, chloroxylene |
| Chlorinated Bleaching Agents |
| Organic Solvents |
| · Chlorinated Organic Solvents: Chloroform, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Trichloroethylene, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Pentachloroethane, Methylene Chloride, Carbon Tetrachloride, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane |
| · Brominated Organic Solvent: 1-bromopropane (n-propyl bromide), 2-bromopropane |
| · Dimethylformamide (DMF) |
| · Others: Benzene (Benzol), 1,4-Butanediol, Dimethylacetamide (DMAC), Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, n-Hexane, 4,4’-Methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA), Phenol, Toluene (Toluol), Xylene, o-Cresol, p-cresol, m-cresol, Cyclododecane, hexamethylphosphoramide (HEMPA), N-methylformamide, furan, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone |
That’s all about the H&M list of chemicals banned in production.
- Substances are not allowed to be used in H&M production lines. These substances will be phased out in the whole production site latest by 2020, and hence work towards a clean factory approach.
| Chloroparaffins |
| Short chained (SCCPs) |
| Chlorophenols, |
| Pentachlorophenol (PCP), Tetrachlorophenol (TeCP), 2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6 TeCP), 2,3,5,6 Tetraclorophenol (2,3,5,6 TeCP), 2,3,4-Trichlorophenol (2,3,4 TriCP), 2,3,5-Trichlorophenol (2,3,5 TriCP), 2,3,6-Trichlorophenol (2,3,6 TriCP), 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol (2,4,5 TriCP), 2,3-dichlorophenol (2,3 DiCP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4 DiCP), 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5 DiCP), 2-chlorophenol, 3-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol |
| Dyes – Azo releasing following amines |
| 4-Aminodiphenyl, 2-Amino-4-nitrotoluene, Benzidine, 4-Chloro-o-toluidine, 2,4-Diaminoanisole, 3,3’-Dimethoxybenzidine (o-Dianisidine), 3,3’-Dimethyl-4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane, 4,4’-Diaminodiphenylmethane, 2-Naphtylamine, o-Aminoazotoluene, o-Anisidine, o-Toluidine, m-Toluidine, p-Toluidine, 4,4’-Oxydianiline, 4,4’-Thiodianiline, 2,4-Toluenediamine, p-Aminoazobenzene, p-Chloroaniline, 2-Chloroaniline, p-Cresidine, 2,4-Xylidine, Diaminobenzidine (biphenyl-3,3′,4,4′-tetrayltetraamine), Diaminotoluene, N,N’-Diacetylbenzidine, Toluene-2,4-diammonium sulphate, 5-Nitro-o-anisidine, N,N-Diethylaniline, N-Methylaniline |
| Other dyes / CI no |
| 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)-4”-(methylamino)trityl alcohol, C.I. Acid Red 26, C.I. Basic Blue 26, C.I. Basic Red 9, C.I. Basic Violet 3, C.I. Basic Violet 14, C.I. Basic Green 4, C.I. Direct Black 38, C.I. Direct Blue 6, C.I. Direct Brown 95, C.I. Direct Red 28, C.I. Pigment Yellow 157, C.I. Pigment Black 25, C.I. Solvent Yellow 2, C.I. Solvent Blue 4 |
| Disperse (Sensitizing) |
| C.I. Disperse Blue 1, C.I. Disperse Blue 3, C.I. Disperse Blue 7, C.I. Disperse Blue 26, C.I. Disperse Blue 35, C.I. Disperse Blue 102, C.I. Disperse Blue 106, C.I. Disperse Brown 1, C.I. Disperse Red 1, C.I. Disperse Red 11, C.I. Disperse Red 17, C.I. Disperse Orange 1, C.I. Disperse Orange 3, C.I. Disperse Orange 76, C.I. Disperse Orange 149, C.I. Disperse Yellow 1, C.I. Disperse Yellow 7, C.I. Disperse Yellow 23, C.I. Disperse Yellow 39, C.I. Disperse Yellow 49 |
| Navy Blue Colorant |
| Component 1: C39H23ClCrN7O12S·2Na, Component 2: C46H30CrN10O20S2·3Na |
| Anilines |
| Aniline |
| Flame Retardants |
| 2,2-Bis(bromomethyl)-1,3-propanediol (BBMP), Bis(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (BDBPP/BIS), Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE), Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), Octabromodiphenyl ether (OctaBDE), Pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE), Polybromobiphenyls (PBB), Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP A), Tri-o-cresyl phosphate, Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), Tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate (TDCP), Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (TRIS), Trixylyl phosphate (TXP) |
| Glycols |
| Bis(2-methoxyethyl)-ether, 2-Ethoxyethyl acetate, Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, 2-Methoxyethanol, 2-Methoxyethylacetate, Triethylene glycol dimethyl ether, 1,2-diethoxyethane, 2-methoxypropanol, methoxyacetic acid |
| Heavy Metals |
| Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium VI (Cr VI), Lead (Pb), Beryllium and Beryllium oxide, Cobalt and Cobalt compounds, Nickel and Nickel compounds, Antimony and Antimony compounds |
| Organotin Compounds |
| Dibutyltin (DBT), Dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC), Dibutyltin hydrogen borate (DBB), Dioctyltin (DOT), Dimethyltin (DMT), Diphenyltin (DPhT), Monobutyltin (MBT), Monoctyltin (MOT), Monomethyltin (MMT), Monophenyltin (MPhT), Tetrabutyltin (TebT), Tetraethyltin (TeET), Tributyltin oxide (TBTO), Tricyclohexyltin (TCyHT), Trimethyltin (TMT), Trioctyltin (TOT) |
| Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) |
| Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS), Perfluorohexane Sulfonate (PFHxS), Perfluoroheptane Sulfonate (PFHpS), Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorobutane Acid (PFBA), Perfluoropentane Acid (PFPA), Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorodecane Acid (PFDA), Perfluoroundecanoic Acid (PFUnA), Perfluorododecanoic Acid (PFDoA), Perfluorotetradecanoic Acid (PFTeA), 2H,2H-perfluorodecane Acid (H2PFDA), 2-(N-methylperfluoro-FASE 1 octanesulfonamido)-ethanol (MeFOSE), N-methylperfluoro-1-octanesulfonamide (MeFOSA) |
| Phthalates- including all other esters of ortho-phthalic acid |
| Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), Diisononyl phthalate (DINP), Butyl octyl phthalate (BOP), Diundecyl phthalate (DUP), Diisopentylphthalate (DIPP), Dihexylphthalate, branched and linear, Di-n-propyl phthalate (DPRP), Di-cyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), Dimethylphthalate (DMP) |
| Phenols |
| o-Phenylphenol (OPP) |
| Polychlorinated Compounds |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Polychlorinated Triphenyls (PCT) |
| Polycyclic Aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) |
| Acenaphthene, Acenaphthylene, Anthracene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), Chrysene, Coal tar pitch, Anthracene oil, Other Anthracene oil compounds, Fluoranthene, Fluorene, Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, Pyrene |
| Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and similar chlorinated polymers, e.g. Polyvinylidenchloride and Polychloroprene (neoprene) |
| Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polyvinylidenchloride, Polychloroprene |
| N-nitroso compounds |
| N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine, N-Nitrosodimethylamine, N-Nitrosodiethanolamine |
| Petroleum distillate |
| Biocide |
| Metam sodium, Safrole (5-allyl-1,3-benzodioxole], Cycloheximide |
| Solvent based Glues |
| Organic solvent based systems shall be exchanged to water based systems |
| Solvent based Polyurethane, PU |
| Shall be exchanged to water based systems in cases where it is technically possible. |
That’s all about the H&M list of chemicals banned in production.