These are not the best of times for azo dyes. Germany had banned the import, trade and use of certain azo dyes in textiles in April; France and the Netherlands have followed suit now. Azo dyes, possessing a chemical group derived from diazonium salts, are commonly used for colouring textiles and some of them can form carcinogenic amines.

About 13 per cent of the leather and textile articles imported from India by Germany contains the banned dyes. The German ban has forced India to test its textile exports. The commerce ministry's Rs 2.10-crore lab at the Madras-based Central Leather Research Institute analyses eco-sensitive chemicals. The ministry is worried over the adverse impact that the latest spate of bans will have on India's textile and leather exports.