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In 1997 Naturvårdsverket (Swedish government organization for protection of the environment) established a proposal containing 18 future goals for our environment. The proposal was developed in 1999 and 15 environmental quality objectives and strategies for a sustainable future development was accepted by Riksdagen (Swedish parliament). In 2005 the 15 objectives became 16 and the addition was about how to sustain a rich flora and fauna. The objectives are linked to a number of environmental threats, such as acidification of water and soil, depletion of the ozone layer, etc. Examples of the environmental goal are clean air, good groundwater quality, and a non-toxic environment. The 16 environmental objectives are intended to replace the 167 targets that parliament has previously decided upon.
Textile industry and environmental
Textile industry working with chemicals was adapted to these environmental objectives by including the project "Miljöproject 2000” (Environmental Strategy 2000) in which the Parliament followed up the agreed targets. The following quotation is taken from the Environmental strategy 2000 -progress Report 97;
”Textilbranschen har gemensamt och tillsammans med länsstyrelsen arbetat för att avveckla och byta ut miljöfarliga organiska ämnen. Till hjälp finns ett kemikalieregister där produkter innehållande vissa ämnen kan hittas och minskad användning följas upp. Exempel på kemikalier som har bytts ut är, dekabromdifenyleter, klor för blekning, ftalater, klorparaffiner, tennorganiska föreningar nonylfenoletoxylater.” (The textile industry has in common and together worked with the County departments to dismantle and replace the environmentally harmful organic substances. For help, there is a chemical ‘archive’ with products containing certain substances that can be found and reduced and where also use can be monitored. Examples of chemicals that have been replaced are, decabromodiphenylether, chlorine for bleaching, phthalates, chlorinated paraffin, organic tin compounds, nonylphenol.)
Environmental Quality efforts should strive to solve major environmental issues in the favor of our next generation, which means that the most significant goals in Sweden are to be completed by 2020 (climate target in 2050). To achieve these goals there are several milestones adopted by parliament.
Sources
Textilmiljöhandboken