Partnership Initiative Wastewater
Chemicals are used in the so-called wet processes of textile production - especially in bleaching, dyeing and printing. Some of these substances are harmful to health and the environment and are often discharged untreated into waters. The resulting environmental damage can be much greater than, for instance, exhaust emissions or solid waste from clothing manufacturing.
For this reason, the Partnership Initiative aims to improve wastewater management in textile production and thus combines three approaches: Firstly, the aim is to raise awareness of the problem in the factories and build up knowledge. Secondly, it seeks to harmonise the testing of wastewater by means of wastewater standards and improve data quality. And thirdly, the initiative strives for cooperation and data exchange between all actors in the supply chain and with scientific institutions.
For textile factories with wet processes there are limit values for pollutants in waste water. These are set by the respective national legislators, by independent organisations such as Oeko-Tex, Bluesign or ZDHC or by large brand companies. The limit values are partially harmonised.
Independent institutions monitor whether the factories comply with the limit values. It is often a challenge for employees of all stakeholder groups to interpret the laboratory analytical test reports and verify compliance with the regulations.
This is precisely where the Partnership Initiative Wastewater intends to take action - with training and training materials, more transparency and stronger networking as well as a plausibility check. All this is aimed at achieving greater reliability in conformity assessment and improving wastewater management in the textile chain and in the manufacturing countries - not only on paper.
14 Members are involved in the Partnership Initiative: adidas, ALDI Nord, ALDI Süd Gruppe, Bluesign, Brands Fashion, Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie e.V. (BSI), Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KiK Textilien & Non Food GmbH, F3 Fashion Cube (Orsay plus Partner), Oeko-Tex, Takko Fashion, German Environment Agency, ZDHC Foundation
@2023 Bündnis für nachhaltige Textilien