Fake Silk: The Lethal History of Viscose Rayon

摘要

Paul David Blanc, a doctor of occupational medicine of the University of California, has thoroughly researched the highly toxic production of viscose, known to us as rayon, bamboo and many of the 'green' fibres available today. Viscose rayon is created by treating wood pulp with caustic soda, carbon disulfide and sulfur to create a gel that is either forced through spinnerets or a long, thin slit, creating either fibre or cellophane. The worst culprit in this mix is carbon disulfide. Known to be highly toxic for at least 150 years, carbon disulfide causes horrific damage to the nervous system of textile industry workers, triggering mania, hallucinations, eye damage, heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. At Courtaulds in Flint the concentration of sulfur in the air was high enough to make hair curl!