Dollar Industries, one of the leading brands in the hosiery sector with an enviable 15 per cent market share and a good percentage in textile exports of the total production in the Indian hosiery market, has a 1000 kilolitre zero liquid discharge (ZLD) effluent treatment plant to treat water for captive use and correspondingly reduce its reliance on municipal sources. Vinod Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Dollar Industries, speaks on its ZLD plant set up and wastewater treatment and technologies in India.
Dollar Industries’ Tirupur (Dindigul) facility has a 1000 kilolitre zero liquid discharge (ZLD) effluent treatment plant. What was the rationale behind having ZLD plant?
Eco-friendly manufacturing is becoming the need of the hour. It protects the planet from exploitation and conserves natural resources. Zero liquid discharge plant helps Dollar Industries to utilise treated water for captive use and correspondingly reduce its reliance on municipal sources. Dollar recycles the residue that is automatically converted into cakes.
When and how this ZLD plant was set up?
ZLD was setup in the year 2014 after the government released a mandate for installing effluent water treatment plants for reducing water pollution and Dollar Industries swiftly acted and installed it within few weeks.
Why wastewater treatment and technologies like ZLD are important for apparel manufacturers in India?
Textile industry produces huge volume of wastewater containing various chemicals used in dyeing, printing, and various other processes. Discharging of untreated effluent from textile industries is highly harmful to the environment, causing pollution to nearby water and soil. To get rid of this problem, ZLD plants are installed which plays an important role in textile or industries by protecting environment from the harmful effect of wastewater.
ZLD greatly minimises the damage done to the environment and also results in benefits for the industry.
Is the ideal of sustainability gaining traction in the Indian apparel industry?
Unlike Western countries, India still has to wake up to sustainable products but several green initiatives are being taken in the industry. Hopefully in the near future, there will be a good market for sustainable products in India.