Sustainable textile production: cleaner production assessment/eco-efficiency analysis study in a textile mill

Highlights

• Cleaner production and eco-efficiency study is conducted in a textile mill.

• Technical and environmental performances are evaluated based on IPPC principles.

• Detailed input–output balances analysis was performed based on wet processes.

• Significant reductions and savings were achieved with suggested 22 BAT options.

• Technical, environmental and economic performances of the mill were improved.

Abstract

Cleaner production assessment studies were carried out according to the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control and Industrial Emission Directive in a cotton/polyester fabric finishing–dyeing textile mill, located in Denizli, Turkey. Following detailed on-site process evaluation, environmental performance of the mill was evaluated. Data of the material flow and the energy consumption in all processes was collected. Mass-energy balances and specific input and output values based on the production processes were calculated. Also, a chemical inventory list was prepared and all material safety data sheets were collected. Environmental performance of the mill was benchmarked against similar textile mills in the literature. 92 Best Available Techniques options were listed. Each suggested BAT option was discussed with the mill management in terms of techno-economic applicability and implementation of 22 Best Available Techniques were decided. In the decision-making process, statistical Multi-criteria Decision-Making Methods (Simple Ranking Method, Weighting Criteria Method, and Weighted Sum Method) were used. Moreover, technical and environmental performances, potential benefits and savings were determined with the implementation of identified 22 Best Available Techniques such as good management practices, water and energy consumption optimization-minimization techniques, chemical consumption optimization and substitution. These evaluations have revealed that after the implementation of suggested 22 Best Available Techniques, following reductions could be achieved if those techniques were implemented in the future: 43–51% water consumption, 11–26% energy consumption, 16–39% chemical consumption, 42–52% wastewater flowrate, 26–48% chemical oxygen demand load, 12–32% waste flue gas emissions, and 8–18% solid waste generation. Payback periods of the suggested Best Available Techniques were estimated as 1–26 months.

Introduction

Textile industry is one of the most important sectors for the economic development of countries all over the world (Souza et al., 2010). It has heterogeneous structure with complex production chains and many different sub-sectors (EC, 2003). It is known with its intensive resource (water, energy etc.) usage in complex production processes (Kocabas et al., 2009) and high quantity of chemicals consumption especially in dyeing–finishing processes (Verma et al., 2012). Specific consumptions can be variable depending on fiber type and applied technologies in textile production processes (Brik et al., 2006). Thus, main environmental concern for the textile industry is the wastewaters with high flowrates and pollutant loads (Moore and Ausley, 2004). Textile wastewaters generally contain surfactants, dyes, pigments, resins, chelating agents, dispersing agents, inorganic salts, heavy metals, biocides, etc. and therefore they are heavily loaded with chemical oxygen demand (COD), color and salt (Dasgupta et al., 2015). Inadequately treated textile effluents are known to cause significant environmental problems in receiving waters (Reddy et al., 2014). High thermal energy requirement in production processes and intensive chemical usage that produce some gaseous emissions and solid waste, respectively are the other causes of pollution from textile mills (Hasanbeigi et al., 2012).

Nowadays, the general concept of environmental protection is shifting from a reactive approach referred to as “pollution control” to a proactive approach referred as “pollution prevention”. The pollution control approach is focused on the end-of-pipe treatment and usually transfers pollution from one form to another. Throughout the last decades, this approach has been of major concern in the control of negative effects of industrial activities (Peters and Pierre, 2006). A pollution control approach should require high investment and operational costs and may lead to reduced market competitiveness. Moreover, pollution control approaches are often insufficient in the prevention of environmental pollution. According to the pollution prevention (cleaner production) approach, pollution is a result of project, resource consumption, inefficiency, failure and ineffectiveness in production processes. Cleaner production approach is related with eco-efficiency, green production/industry and sustainable production (Hilson, 2000). United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines cleaner production as “The continuous application of an integrated environmental strategy to processes, products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment” (UNEP, 1996). Technical, environmental and economical performances of industrial companies can be increased with the application of cleaner production strategies. In addition, cleaner production measures are known to provide advantages in terms of legal discharge standards/limits.

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC, 96/61/EC) published in 1996, is constitutes one of the most important piece of European Union (EU) legislation towards minimizing harmful emission from various industrial sources (Laforest, 2014). The IPPC Directive was founded upon two basic principles: using an integrated approach and the application of the Best Available Techniques (BAT). BATs are the appropriate techniques to be used in protecting the environment while obtaining a balance between environmental benefits and costs. Sectoral BAT References Documents have been adopted by EU IPPC Bureau to facilitate compliance with the IPPC directive by the industry. In 2010, the IPPC directive have been replaced by the “Industrial Emissions Directive (IED, 2010/75/EU)” which involves the coalescing of seven different directives into one (IED, 2010). Determination of emission limits values (ELV) according to BAT-based emission limits (BAT-AEL) are stipulated for industrial facility permits with IED (Derden and Huybrechts, 2013).

Turkey is one of the most important textile suppliers of Europe (TMEU, 2012) with 3.5 and 3.6 million tonnes of yarn and knitting–weaving production capacity, respectively. However, textile industry is the second in industrial water consumption with a share of 15% (191.5 million tonnes) in Turkish manufacturing industry (TSI, 2008). Also, textile industry is the third (Kocabas et al., 2009) with 10% share (TSI, 2008) in energy consumption in Turkish manufacturing industry. Besides, solid waste generation in textile industry has 3–4% share (TSI, 2008). Within the Turkey's efforts for the on-going European Union (EU) accession process, harmonization of current legal infrastructure with EU standards is underway. In this context, IED (2010/75/EU) is one of the main directives which have been evaluated during harmonization process. IED has not yet been introduced to the Turkish legislation but the first step has been taken with the publication of “Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control in Textile Sector Communique (Turkish BREF)” in 2011 for the harmonization of the directive in Turkey (TMEU, 2011). Regulation of procedures and principles that minimize negative effects of textile sector activities, control of discharges to water, air and soil during the production, efficient use of raw materials/energy, and use of cleaner production technologies can be listed as the general aims of Turkish BREF. Textile plants with production capacities over 10 tonnes/day are subject to the provisions of the communique. They have to meet BREF related requirements and employ their cleaner production plans. According to harmonization calendar, it is planned that the integrated permission process will be completed in 2015 and entire harmonization process will be completed in 2018.

In this study, a cleaner production assessment study was carried out in a cotton and polyester knitting–weaving fabric and subsequent finishing–dyeing mill. Specific resource consumptions (water, energy, chemical etc.) and specific waste generations (wastewater, waste flue gas, waste heat, solid waste etc.) were determined with detailed on-site investigations. Company-wide mass-energy balance analyses were performed. Performances of the mill were evaluated in terms of cleaner production assessments. In this context, determined specific performance criteria in the mill are compared with similar textile mills and IPPC BREF document. Cleaner production suggestions were determined on the basis of IPPC BREF and Turkish BREF documents. Thus, potential reduction and benefits and main perspective of suggested cleaner production techniques were determined in the mill. Potential payback periods of each suggested BAT was calculated. The major aim of the study is to be a road map of cleaner production assessment and express technical/environmental performance evaluations for similar textile mills and sector stakeholders. Additionally, Turkey has initiated the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control/Industrial Emissions Directive (IPPC/IED) adaptation process. This study will significantly contribute to the EU harmonization process of IPPC/IED.