The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Programme released the Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) version 1.1 recently.

The MRSL Version 1.1 was developed by the ZDHC apparel and footwear brands in close collaboration with third-party technical experts and global industry associations, includes chemicals used in facilities that process materials and trim parts for use in apparel and footwear. These chemicals include solvents, cleaners, adhesives, paints, inks, detergents, dyes, colourants, auxiliaries, coatings and finishing agents used during raw material production, wet-processing, maintenance, wastewater treatment, sanitation and pest control. It also specifies limits to eliminate the possibility for intentional use of such hazardous substances in view of helping brands and orgnisations of the industry or supply chain to phase out the use of such substances.

MRSL of 2014 pointed that natural leather and metal trim parts were not under regulation, while the updated version deletes the provision, which indicates the hazardous substances listed on MRSL Version 1.1 potentially used in natural leather processing should also be restricted.

Suppliers and processing factories should follow up the contents in MRSL Version 1.1 to adjust manufacturing techniques and promote product quality.