Environmental

Here you can access a selection of resources that the Primark Ethical Trade and Environmental Sustainability Team uses in its sustainability work with suppliers and factories, to minimise Primark’s environmental impact.

RESTRICTED SUBSTANCES LIST (RSL)

We are committed to the ZDHC Group’s Programme and are members of the AFIRM Group. These partnerships help us to phase out certain chemicals deemed hazardous and replace them with safer alternatives. A core part of our work towards this target is our Restricted Substances List (RSL), which combines the limits for chemicals in the materials used to make our products, and the substances in chemicals that suppliers are not permitted to use in the manufacture of Primark products and materials. Our RSL is aligned with the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List and the AFIRM RSL. We share our RSL with all suppliers and facilities that manufacture Primark products and provide in-country supplier training on our chemical management requirements.

Download the RSL 2023 here: ENGLISH CHINESE TURKISH VIETNAMESE

CHEMICAL INVENTORY LIST

To support suppliers and facilities in effective chemical management and elimination of hazardous chemicals, we provide them with a Chemical Inventory List that allows them to monitor the use and storage of chemical products in their manufacturing processes.

Download the CIL here: CHEMICAL INVENTORY LIST 2021

CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT REPORTS AND CASE STUDIES

As part of our commitment to phase out the use of harmful chemicals in our supply chain, we have been working with chemical experts to understand how a number of suppliers in China and Bangladesh are using chemicals in the washing and dyeing process. Through testing waste water, we have created reports detailing current practices and chemical use within dyeing mills and washing units.

NPEO CASE STUDY: ENGLISH BENGALI CHINESE

PFC CASE STUDY: ENGLISH BENGALI CHINESE

CHLOROPHENOL: ENGLISH BENGALI  CHINESE

4 CHLOROANILINE: ENGLISH  BENGALI  CHINESE

REPORT I CHINA 2014: ENGLISH  BENGALI  CHINESE

REPORT II CHINA 2015: ENGLISH  BENGALI  CHINESE

REPORT III CHINA: ENGLISH  BENGALI  CHINESE

BANGLADESH REPORT: ENGLISH  BENGALI  CHINESE

ZDHC WASTEWATER GUIDELINES

Water efficiency is a critical aspect of sustainable and environmentally-conscious manufacturing. The ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines set an aligned expectation on wastewater quality for the entire textile and footwear industry. This standard in wastewater discharge goes beyond regulatory compliance to ensure wastewater discharge does not adversely affect the environment and surrounding communities.

As a member of ZDHC we have adopted the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines and ask our suppliers to use these parameters which go beyond regulatory compliance for wastewater discharge.

A link to the guidelines can be found here: ZDHC WASTEWATER GUIDELINES

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY