Education and training needed for better wastewater treatment in the fashion industry

Investing in capacity development for better water quality will benefit the fashion industry as a whole. This was one of the main messages shared by a group of leading organizations from the sector, as well as educational institutions. By improving skills and knowledge of people working in the whole supply chain of the fashion industry, more sustainable and efficient practices can be achieved. Reducing water usage, energy consumption and chemical waste leads to saving costs and improvement of the environmental footprint.

“By supporting education for the fashion industry on industrial wastewater treatment, we can contribute to a more sustainable future with cleaner water” said Carlos Lopez Vazquez.

“Students approach challenges with a fresh vision, and have access to learning the latest innovations and technologies. They are the best ambassadors for a better water future, they are able to trigger change”, he added.

Currently however, there is a lack of high-level education as well as training on a practical level. The panellists expressed the need for a practitioner’s platform accessible to all in the fashion industry and its supply chain, where technical questions can be asked, and knowledge and best practices can be shared. In addition, different types of laboratories are required, as they serve several purposes for wastewater analysis.

Carlos Lopez Vazquez: “Certain labs could focus on microplastics or different emerging contaminants, which requires more advanced systems and qualified personnel to work on these assessments. Other labs are smaller and could perform day-to-day assessments for regular operation and monitoring purposes. We also need labs that provide training, where people can learn how to implement technologies in other locations. Thirdly, we need laboratories that perform research to assess different process technologies and practices for wastewater treatment. On another level, labs can provide technical support for trouble-shooting purposes. This is a layered approach of laboratories, adapting to different capacities and resources.”

Carlos added that with these many different lab purposes, it could be interesting to develop a network. Certain hubs can collect and analyse wastewater samples, and exchange knowledge regarding technical support, research and training.

“Labs are essential in itself, but they also have huge potential by implementing new technologies, research, development and innovation”, he said.

The panel also touched upon the role governments should play. The panellists agreed that governments should claim a bigger role for themselves by setting industry framework conditions on how to prevent pollution into the environment and our water systems. If one country has strict environmental rules and the other doesn’t, then it won’t work. A level playing field is needed.

One of the panellists representing the fashion brands mentioned that there is a need for one common framework for the entire supply chain to implement strategies, drive accountability and work towards a common goal.

The discussion ended with the announcement of a voluntary commitment by ZDHC to create a global capacity development industrial water treatment platform for the fashion industry, which will be presented at the UN 2023 Water Conference. The commitment aims to establish a global framework among brands and supply chain to monitor performance and drive accountability, with high-level training and practical solutions.

Organized by ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme and supported by IHE Delft, the online event 'Wastewater Management in the Textile, Footwear and Leather Industry: Challenges, progress and the role of education' brought together leading fashion brands, manufacturing suppliers, service providers & educational institutions to share experiences and discuss the benefits of joint action and collaboration in water treatment.

New programme on Water, Wastewater and Solids Treatment and Management in the Fashion Industry

IHE Delft and the ZDHC Academy are developing a new Graduate Professional Diploma Programme (GPDP) for fashion industry professionals. The main purpose of the Programme is to provide managers, process and environmental engineers and water effluent & treatment plant operators with the required qualifications to handle the water cycle and solid waste generated in the fashion industry. In addition, participants will assess and monitor their environmental impact on the receiving water bodies.

The programme is also suitable for brand representatives and policy makers working in the specialised field of wastewater, water and the fashion industry. This programme is under development and will be offered on demand. Interested? Learn more here. For further details please contact Mariella Noto from ZDHC at noto@zdhc.org.