Following the court docket order, over 700 bleaching items, dyeing items, and customary effluent therapy crops (CETPs) closed their shutters, resulting in a lack of employment for greater than 40,000-50,000 employees and an estimated every day monetary affect of Rs 50 crore. Tiruppur is the biggest textile hub within the nation, contributing over 54% to India’s general knitwear exports.
The judgement was a pivotal second that modified every little thing for Tiruppur; it served as a wake-up name for the textile cluster and marked the start of their sustainable journey. Greater than a 12 months and a half after the HC ruling, 18 CETPs reopened in June 2012 after implementing a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system, which recovers and reuses practically all industrial effluent, leaving solely stable waste.
Initially, the items have been allowed to function at a minimal of 15% to 30% of their capability by the Tamil Nadu Air pollution Management Board (TNPCB) for trial functions. Subsequent, the newest know-how machines and tools have been put in, which considerably improved capability utilisation.
In December 2016, the central authorities permitted Rs 200 crore for the Tiruppur dyeing business, which was on the verge of closure as a result of big investments within the ZLD mission. “The transfer will assist ailing CETPs and 450 dyeing items to recuperate from the monetary disaster and assist them to finish the mission to attain 100% capability utilisation,” the Union Textile Ministry acknowledged in a launch.
At that time, 450 dyeing items had collectively arrange 18 ZLD-enabled CETPs at a complete value of Rs 1,013 crore. In truth, they’ve doubled down on their sustainable efforts since then. Tiruppur, as a cluster, at the moment recycles practically 130 million litres of water daily. “The mission has turn into a world normal and appreciated by the environmentalist and processing business world over,” the ministry acknowledged.“Tirupur has fashioned CETPS and carried out ZLD in all CETPs consequently, there was vital enchancment within the water high quality,” says Indumathi M. Nambi, Professor in Environmental Engineering, Division of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras. He means that textile clusters in Erode, Kancheepuram, and Rasipuram, in addition to different states, ought to comply with. IIT MadrasIt is extensively identified that the textile business is a water guzzler and a significant contributor to environmental air pollution, chipping away on the planet’s pure sources. In line with a latest report by the World Financial Discussion board (WEF), producing simply 1 kg of cotton requires 7,500-10,000 litres of water; moreover, dyeing processes demand 5 trillion litres of water yearly, with 200 tonnes of water wanted to provide every tonne of cloth throughout dyeing. Notably, 20% of business air pollution worldwide stems from dyeing and ending materials, the report says. The WEF states that producing and consuming clothes extra sustainably might improve the worldwide financial system by practically $200 billion by 2030.
Towards this backdrop, can the Tiruppur mannequin function an inspiration for others to undertake practices that will help in lowering water consumption and waste air pollution inside the sector?
Exhibiting the Approach
The quantity of water the Tiruppur cluster recycled daily is equal to 50% of the full ingesting water consumed by individuals in Tamil Nadu, in keeping with Sudhakaran Kalidas, Joint Secretary, Dyers Affiliation of Tiruppur (DAT). He tells ET Digital on the affiliation’s workplace in Tiruppur that they’ve been doing this for greater than a decade now.
At the moment, there are 360 dyeing items working in and across the metropolis. Of those, 60 are Particular person Effluent Remedy Vegetation (IETPs), whereas the remaining items have established 18 CETPs for the therapy of the generated effluent, as per knowledge from DAT. CETPs are designed to deal with wastewater from a number of industries, lowering the environmental affect of business actions. When built-in with a ZLD system, CETPs can obtain zero wastewater discharges, thereby minimising environmental air pollution.
Tiruppur is utilizing this course of to its fullest potential. “Distilled water is normally let into the streams right here; not a single drop of water reaches the earth. So even a single drop shall be taken, recycled repeatedly daily, and a variety of occasions. And it’s not simply water; we’re recycling plastics, fibre, carton bins, and extra. It (Tiruppur) is a whole recycling hub,” says Kalidas, his sense of accomplishment evident in his voice.
Additionally Learn: Tiruppur in bother? What’s ailing this Rs 70,000-crore textile cluster from scaling up
He notes that the extent to which ZLD is being carried out in Tiruppur makes it the one such cluster to be pulling off such sustainability efforts of this scale. Superior applied sciences are employed to deal with and recycle wastewater, which makes the water appropriate for reuse within the dyeing course of. The CETPs and IETPs at Tiruppur not solely deal with 130 million litres of dye effluent every day, but in addition recuperate 92% of pure water for reuse in processing via the ZLD know-how.
The suitable time period for textiles in Tiruppur, as per Kalidas, ought to be ‘eco-friendly and recycled’, as a substitute of ‘biodegradable’. “From an environmental angle, every little thing that we do is sustainable. Cotton comes right here after spinning; we don’t use uncooked cotton. It’s then transformed from fibre to yarn, after which that yarn involves Tiruppur for changing to cloth. So, from the yarn stage itself, all firms are going ahead on the sustainable entrance,” he explains.
Sudhakaran Kalidas, Joint Secretary, Dyers Affiliation of Tiruppur (DAT) says that the suitable time period for textiles in Tiruppur ought to be ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘recycled.’
He says that the longer term is in recycling, whether or not it’s biodegradable or not. “All the things is getting recycled right here; even wastages from the garment are taken again, recycled and transformed into recent yarn.”
Making Each Drop Rely—The way it Works
An intensive examination of the manufacturing processes at Tiruppur gives additional insights into the combination of varied parts that contribute to very large environmental financial savings every day, notably when it comes to water utilization. DAT emphasises that the operation of CETPs utilizing the ZLD system entails a sequence of steps that assist in assembly the first goals. The preliminary step entails the gathering of wastewater, which is gathered from member dyeing items via underground pipelines. The second step entails the pre-treatment and first therapy of wastewater, which focuses on the removing of suspended solids and natural matter.
Thereafter, wastewater undergoes additional extra therapy in secondary and tertiary therapy processes to provide high-quality effluent. The handled effluent is then fed into the ZLD system, the place it undergoes evaporation, crystallisation or different processes to attain zero wastewater discharge.
The ultimate step is residual administration, which basically entails managing the three varieties of sludge generated through the effluent therapy course of: chemical sludge, bio-sludge and combined waste salt. Chemical sludge is directed to cement factories for co-processing as a uncooked materials for cement manufacturing, whereas bio-sludge is distributed to cement factories for use as gasoline. The ultimate reject, combined waste salt, is saved in sheds on the CETP’s premises, as no correct disposal technique has been recognized thus far.
In chart: A number of phases of changing unusable darkish color effluent to usable pure water.
As per the affiliation, the accrued combined waste salt in CETPs at Tiruppur exceeds 100,000 tonnes. “At the moment, we don’t have the know-how for this salt, so we pile up big quantities of salt…[disposal] know-how is but to evolve. Many analysis organisations are engaged on that, and we’re even doable options that may be useful,” Kalidas states.
Along with water conservation, dyers in Tiruppur are additionally engaged within the recycling of effluent salt. This minimises the quantity of salt discharged into the setting and reduces the demand for recent salt, leading to value financial savings and diminished environmental affect. “The ZLD course of recovers useful salts from wastewater, reworking what could be waste into useful sources, illustrating a round financial system in motion,” explains DAT.
DAT claims that it saves 1/4th of the salt consumed by the Indian inhabitants daily via this course of. “1,000 tonnes of salt is the approximate amount of salt consumed by the complete Indian inhabitants, and we’re saving 1/4th or 20% of this daily,” DAT states.
Challenges and bottlenecks
On the core of those sustainability initiatives, nevertheless, lies a special narrative—Tiruppur’s wrestle to remain afloat, given the excessive working prices. “The primary downside is that we’re consuming an enormous quantity of energy to deal with the effluent water. All of the 18 CETPs, collectively, are spending round Rs 30 crore each month solely on electrical energy,” informs Kalidas.
To place it in perspective, the month-to-month power consumption of solely these 18 CETPs is roughly 10 million items, which incorporates wastewater therapy however not cloth colouring or different processes. The Tiruppur cluster at the moment has a inexperienced power capability of 1,950 MW, together with 1,600 MW from wind and 350 MW from photo voltaic power, however it’s a lot decrease than the full power requirement.
Dyers’ items in Tiruppur, particularly CETPs and IETPs, are planning to put money into renewable power initiatives, akin to photo voltaic and wind energy, to cut back their dependence on non-renewable power sources. Nevertheless, funding is a problem for these struggling items. “We wish a one-time subsidy for photo voltaic and wind energy initiatives from the federal government, which we have now been asking for a very long time,” Kalidas says, whereas expressing his disappointment.
The cluster has additionally been taking measures in power by means of altering machineries, implementing finest practices and investing in renewable power. Moreover, it’s spending an enormous quantity on imported coal as thermal power is used to function the water. They’re searching for know-how that may scale back prices or set up of a co-generation plant, which may also help obtain the identical objective. “With out such incentives, we can’t be aggressive and even survive. Beforehand, 800 dyeing items used to exist in Tiruppur; these have now narrowed right down to 400. Tomorrow it is going to be 200 items, and 10 years on, solely 100 will exist since there is no such thing as a degree taking part in subject for us,” says Kalidas. With out holding again, he asserts, “We aren’t asking for revenue, just for our survival.”
Specialists say that analysis and growth are essential to assist the Tiruppur cluster develop, making processes extra environment friendly, reducing prices, and bettering the sustainability of CETPs with ZLD methods.
ET On-lineThe CETPs and IETPs at Tiruppur additionally recuperate 92% of pure water for reuse in processing via the ZLD know-how. (pic courtesy: Neha Dewan)
Kanishk Maheshwari, Co-founder & MD, Primus Companions, says that the combination of solar energy crops presents an extra alternative for the textile hub, which helps clear power adoption, decrease carbon emissions, and lowering long-term power prices for the business.
As a part of extra measures, he suggests drawing from international locations akin to Sweden and the Netherlands, which implement digital traceability methods utilizing blockchain know-how. “This could enable manufacturers and customers to trace the complete lifecycle of a garment—from uncooked materials sourcing to last manufacturing—enhancing accountability, selling moral sourcing and opening entry to sustainability-conscious international markets,” he provides.
A International Mannequin?
Tiruppur’s built-in strategy to sustainability—together with water conservation, renewable power, round financial system practices, and stakeholder collaboration—has made it a world mannequin for sustainable industrial progress, as per Maheshwari. “The textile hub’s evolving sustainability journey displays a broader shift in how the textile sector can steadiness industrial progress with environmental accountability,” he says.
The federal government has additionally acknowledged the essential function performed by Tiruppur, as Commerce and Trade Minister Piyush Goyal famous at an occasion that 75 textile hubs just like Tiruppur ought to be established. These hubs would assist textile product exports, make sure the inclusion of sustainable know-how, and generate big alternatives for employment.
Contemplating Tiruppur’s robust repute for its dedication to sustainable practices, specialists advise advancing and empowering the cluster to accentuate its efforts additional. The federal government assist and steerage can considerably contribute to the cluster’s success as a world textile hub whereas additionally setting a precedent for others to comply with with élan.
