Page 25 - TEXtalks. November- December 2023

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China revises regulations for textile

dyeing & printing mills

The Chinese government recently revised the regulations and norms that textile dyeing and printing must
follow. The last such revision took place in 2017.

The first is layout requirements, which stipulate that new printing and dyeing projects should be
concentrated in industrial parks. They should comply with the park’s overall planning, industrial development
planning, and environmental impact assessment and adopt centralized treatment of pollutants. The second
relates to machinery and equipment under which the use of technologically advanced, green, and
low-carbon process equipment has been recommended. Additionally, it recommends using clean energy for
heating and strict and detailed control of the automatic dispensing and delivery system of
dyes and chemicals.

The third recommends quality management requirements stipulating that textile companies should produce
green textile products and implement the three-level energy and water metering management system. It also
stipulates strictly regulating the storage and use of chemicals, a green supply chain management, and
implementing a control system for chemicals.

The fourth is reducing energy and water consumption by adopting measures for minimum energy use by
printing and dyeing units, controlling freshwater usage, and increasing the use of recycled water. The fifth
dwells on environmental protection requirements under which each plant has to apply for a pollutant
discharge permit and discharge pollutants following the permit. Textile companies must also have sound
environmental management practices and regularly audit energy and pollutants.

Sanctions on Bangladesh will

be political & not labor-related

Speakers at a seminar said that if Western countries imposed all sanctions on Bangladesh, it would be more
for political reasons rather than related to labor issues. “The labor issue has not reached a point where
sanctions can be imposed. If they are imposed, it would be for politically related interests and not due to
labor rights,” Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters
Association (BKMEA), said at a seminar.

“The current political situation should be resolved and negotiated diplomatically. The garment factory
owners or workers cannot do anything about this,” he added. “The countries that talk about sanctions have
ratified only two of the core International Labour Organisation (ILO) norms, while Bangladesh has ratified
eight,” Amirul Haque Amin, President of the National Garment Workers Federation, said.

“Bangladesh has improved fundamental labor rights continuously in the last few years, and so we have no
reason to be afraid. The labor situation is not so grave for sanctions to be imposed,” Amin stated. The main
concern of the Bangladeshi garment exporters is a new US labor policy announced on November 16.

November/December 2023