Primark pledges to remove hazardous chemicals from supply chain

British retail giant Primark is the latest global clothing company to commit to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its clothing supply chain.

In a statement on its website it says: "We believe that business has a duty to act and trade responsibly. We have a stringent chemical management policy in place which complies fully with EU legislation. This policy is supported by a programme of due diligence and scrutiny to ensure our products comply at all times with these legal requirements.

"However, Primark has long recognised the importance of continuing to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing processes, and has today announced its commitment to work with industry and stakeholders including Greenpeace to ban the use of all hazardous chemicals from the supply chain."

The move follows luxury fashion label Burberry's recent announcement  to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain by 2020 following a 'Detox' campaign spearheaded by Greenpeace.

The NGO expressed delight at Primark's announcement saying the news was 'fantastic'. However it cautioned: "It’s time for them to walk the talk. Detox leaders like Mango, H&M and Fast Retailing are showing how it’s done and setting the toxic-free trend. Unfortunately, some like adidas and Nike are stuck on the first step, while others like Disney haven’t even got off the starting block."