The history and development of the science of dyes and dyeing is reviewed as part of a general environmental analysis of commercial forms used in European industry. The waste effluent from solid formulations, e.g., press cakes, powders, and pastes, tends to be more ecologically disruptive than the effluent produced by liquid dyes. General toxicological properties for dyes are specified in the German Chemicals Act; however, there is no legislative requirement for the testing of specific dyes listed in the European Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances. In an increasingly environmentally conscious Europe, liquid dyes are predicted to dominate the market. The complicated logistics of liquid dye manufacture can be controlled by computer from the central color kitchen with automated dispensers and mixers.