Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) released the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines Version 2.0 including its supporting documents; the ZDHC Sludge Reference Document Version 1.0 and ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Laboratory Sampling and Analysis Plan Version 2.0.
The update strengthens the evolution of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and drives the industry to understand and reduce the impact of wastewater.
The ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines set a single, globally unified expectation across the textile, leather and footwear industry for industrial wastewater and sludge.
In addition to the review by the independent Wastewater Council, the ZDHC held a public consultation for ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines V2.0 and supporting documents to provide all stakeholders a forum for feedback on the proposed updates.
The guidelines introduce a streamlined approach to sampling and testing for direct, indirect and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).
Tim Maloney, ZDHC Wastewater Council Member, and Principal Technologist at Startup and Operations Services,said, “As a wastewater professional of 40+ years it was a pleasure and honour to be a member of the ZDHC Wastewater Council. I was very impressed with the knowledge, experience and engagement of the council members. The council not only represented the spectrum of the industry, it included some of the keystone people that lead our path forward.”
The ZDHC Wastewater Council was created to guide this update of the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines, ensuring the parameters and limits included are relevant, stringent and pragmatic. The Wastewater Council is composed of a diverse group of independent wastewater experts from the textile industry, academia and water treatment industry to provide credibility and objectiveness to final decisions made.
“Metals and compounds found in sludge can be released and cause negative impacts on human health and the environment. In too many cases around the world, sludge quality and the impact on the environment is poorly understood. It is crucial for sludge to be tested, properly characterised, handled and disposed of properly and for this information to be transparent and available for brands and retailers to see,” Jimmy Summers, VP, Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability Chief Sustainability Officer at Elevate Textiles.
