Sources of Microplastics Relevant to Marine Conservation in Germany Scientific research shows that plastics dominate the waste finds in oceans and inland waters. In addition to large-scale waste such as plastic bottles or bags, microparticles made of plastics are also detected in the water body, in sediments and on beaches of the world's oceans. 663 species are known to be affected by negative impacts from marine and coastal litter. More than half of them absorb or become entangled in plastic waste. Microparticles smaller than five millimeters, as well as larger plastic parts, can cause mechanical injuries to the digestive tract, hinder digestion and block food intake. In addition, its components can be toxic or have a hormonal effect. As a result, there is a risk of contaminants accumulating in the food chain. In addition, plastic microparticles can serve as a means of transport to which pollutants, invasive species and pathogens accumulate. Based on these alarming findings, the Federal Environment Agency commissioned a study to determine the use levels of plastic microparticles in cosmetic products used in Germany and the European Union in a first approximation, to research further areas of application, to identify their use levels and to identify further sources of plastic microparticles and to estimate their amount. Based on comprehensive literature analyses and telephone interviews, the nova Institute has collected corresponding data. A distinction was made between primary microparticles and secondary plastic microparticles. [...]. The decomposition of plastic waste is the most important source for the formation of microparticles. Scientific estimates suggest that about six to ten percent of the world's plastic production finds its way into the world's oceans. Since Germany has a comparatively well-developed waste management system, it can be assumed that less plastic waste enters the environment, but reliable information on this is not available. Other secondary sources of plastic microparticles that have been neglected so far and are important due to the high input volumes are man-made fibres that are washed out of clothing and other textiles, tyre abrasion in road traffic and the loss of granules in the production and further processing of plastics. Mehr Details
Base code guidance: Living wages Description of the publication by ETI:Through this guide, we share what companies can do to create the enabling conditions for the payment of living wages, in line with their commitment to the ETI Base Code. We outline our expectations of members and provide guidance on winning senior executives’ support for living wages. We share practical steps for developing living wage strategies and collaborating with stakeholders to identify sustainable, scalable solutions. We also cover the vital question of how to offset the cost of increased wages. Finally, we share ETI members’ experiences of supporting living wages. Mehr Details
Branded Childhood How garment brands contribute tlow wages, long working hours, school dropout and child labour in Bangladesh The Stop Child Labour Coalition commissioned the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) tcarry out this research intwage levels and working conditions in the export-oriented garment industry in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The research clearly looks into the relationship between wages and working conditions of adult workers and the extent to which their children attend school or are engaged in paid/unpaid work. The objective of the research was tassess how the wages and working conditions of adult workers in export-oriented garment factories affect workers’ abilities tmeet basic needs, including housing, food and education. The aim is tanswer the following questions: Are the wages of adult garment workers sufficient tcover their family’s basic needs, including schooling costs for their children? Are the children of garment workers engaged in paid work in order tadd tthe family income sthat the family’s basic needs are covered? Are children of garment workers engaged in any unpaid work? If the children of garment workers dnot attend school, what are the reasons for this? Mehr Details
Estou Me Guardando Para Quando O Carnaval Chegar – Waiting for the Carnival In Toritama in northeastern Brazil, around 20 million jeans are produced and processed every year. In addition to the large textile factories, numerous private workshops were founded in garages and backyards, in which the inhabitants of the city seemingly work independently and can divide the workload themselves. Marcelo Gomez’s documentary gives an insight into a city where the majority of the inhabitants live from the production of jeans and where the sewing machines do not stand still. Mehr Details
Corporate Human Rights Benchmark - Across sectors: Agricultural products, Apparel, Automotive manufacturing, Extractives & ICT manufacturing The 2020 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assesses the human rights disclosures of 230 global companies across five sectors identified as presenting a high risk of negative human rights impacts. These sectors are agricultural products, apparel, extractives, ICT manufacturing and, for the first time, automotive manufacturing. In addition detailed data for each company is published: https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/publication/chrb/companies/ Mehr Details
