Post on 03-Jan-2020
ZERO DISCHARGE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
BENCHMARKING REPORT
July 2013
2013
ES021913202409MKE
2Benchmarking Report
Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................4
Introduction ........................................................................5
Background ........................................................................6
Study Objectives ................................................................7
Approach ............................................................................8Benchmarking Site Selection ................................................................................ 8Factory Information Collection .............................................................................. 8Laboratory Selection ............................................................................................ 9Limitations ........................................................................................................... 9
Site Visit Protocol ............................................................10Chemicals Management and Inventory Assessment ............................................ 10Sampling ............................................................................................................ 10Waste Treatment Assessment ............................................................................. 11
Key Findings .....................................................................12Chemicals Management ..................................................................................... 12Waste Treatment ............................................................................................... 14
Effluent (Wastewater) .......................................................................................... 14Sludge ................................................................................................................... 14
Laboratory Testing Results .................................................................................. 15Water Sample Results Summary ......................................................................... 15
Heavy Metals ....................................................................................................... 17Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins ........................................................................ 18PFCs ...................................................................................................................... 18APEOs ................................................................................................................... 19
Regulatory Limits for Effluent ............................................................................. 20Sludge Sample Results ........................................................................................ 21
Contents
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Conclusions ......................................................................23Key Chemical Classes Found in Discharges .......................................................... 23Chemical Management and Information Improvement Opportunity ................... 23Infrastructure Considerations ............................................................................. 24Training .............................................................................................................. 24
Next Steps ........................................................................25Action Items for Key Chemical Classes Found in Discharges ................................. 25Chemical Management and Information Improvement Opportunity ................... 26
Addendum
4Benchmarking Report
Acronyms and AbbreviationsAPE alkylphenols
APEO alkylphenol ethoxylates
BOD biological oxygen demand
COD chemical oxygen demand
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets
N.D. non detect
PFC per-andpoly-fluorinatedchemicals
PFOA perfluorooctanoicacid
PFOS perfluorooctanesulfonicacid
PPB parts per billion
PPE personalprotectiveequipment
PPM parts per million
RSL RestrictedSubstanceList
SCCP Short-ChainedChlorinatedParaffin
SDS Safety Data Sheets
TSS totalsuspendedsolids
μg/L microgramsperliter
μg/mL microgramspermilliliter
ZDHC ZeroDischargeofHazardousChemicals
Units comparison
PPM(partpermillion)=mg/L(milligramsperliter),mg/kg(milligramsperkilogram) PPB(partperbillion)=μg/L(microgramsperliter),μg/kg(microgramsperkilogram) PPT(partspertrillion=ng/L(nanogramsperliter),ng/kg(nanogramsperkilogram)
Example:20ppt=20ng/L=0.020μg/L
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IntroductionTheZeroDischargeofHazardousChemicals(ZDHC)Programmeisanambitiousplanthatsetsanewstandardofenvironmentalperformancefortheglobalapparelandfootwearindustry.Thegroupformedin2011tocatalyzepositiveindustrychangeandaligntothegoalofzerodischargeofhazardouschemicalsacrosstheproductlifecycleby2020.
Acriticalfirststeptoeliminatingandmanagingchemicalsacrossthesupplychain,notjustinproducts,involvesunderstandinghowoursupplychainpartnersidentifyandapplychemicalsindifferenttextileprocesses,includingthosethatareusedinmanufacturingprocessesandnotintentionallyaddedtoproducts.Beforeidentifyinganddevelopingadditionalproceduresandtools,wewantedtofullyunderstandthiscomplexityandcreatedtheBenchmarkingProjectwiththisin mind.
Aspartofitsfoundationalworkin2012,theZDHCBenchmarkingProjectteamconductedinformationalsitevisitsat20supplierlocationstoobservechemicalsmanagementpractices,tonotechemicalinventoriesandtotestinfluent,effluentandsludgedischarges.Thetestingprotocolcoveredchemicalsacross11chemicalclasseswhichhavebeentargetedforrestrictionand/oreliminationinthesupplychain.Thisreportprovidesanoverviewofthesesupplierbenchmarkingsitevisits,keyfindingsandtheactionitemsthatthegroupplanstoundertakebasedonthestudyresults.
TheBenchmarkingProjectteamwouldliketothankourfactorypartnerswhowerekeytomakingthebenchmarkingstudyareality,andwewouldliketoacknowledgetheirtime,effortandpatiencewiththenumberofsamplingteams,consultantsandZDHCmemberswhovisitedtheirsites.
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BackgroundTheZDHCJointRoadmapreleasedinNovember2011identifiedtheareasinwhichZDHCmemberscouldconductresearchandtakeactiontoguidethegrouptowardthe2020goalofzerodischargeofhazardouschemicals.
OneoftheprojectsidentifiedintheNovember2011JointRoadmapinvolvedconductingbenchmarkingsitevisitsatsupplierlocationstobetterunderstandwhichchemicalsfrom11restrictedchemicalclassesaredischargedintreatedeffluentatsupplierfacilitiesandhowthechemicalsdetectedmightrelatetothechemicalsmanagement,inventoryandtextileprocessesoccurringwithinthesuppliers’facility.TheJointRoadmapreferredtothisprojectasProject1orP01.1
Table1liststhe11chemicalclassestheZDHCcommunityexaminedinthisstudyandtheirtypicalusesinthetextileindustry.Brandshavehistoricallyrestrictedchemicalsubstancesinatleast10ofthe11chemicalclasseslistedthroughRestrictedSubstanceLists(RSLs)andprogrammes,witharecentadditionoflong-chainper-orpoly-fluorinatedchemicals(PFCs),includingperfluorooctanoicacid(PFOA)andperfluorooctanesulfonicacid(PFOS).
1 TheJointRoadmapspecificallystatedtheZDHCmemberswould“Benchmarkandverifywhetherthenineclassesofchemicals…areindischargetowaterorsludgethroughacarefullydesignedprocessofon-sitevisitsandaudits,inventoriesandanalyticswhereappropriate…DatawouldalsobecollectedontheuseanddischargeofAlkylphenolethoxylates(APEOs)andPerfluorinatedChemicals(PFCs).”
The research conducted through this benchmarking project helped ZDHC to fully understand the complexity
involved in eliminating chemicals across textile processes, including those used
in manufacturing processes and not intentionally added to products.
For more information about the phase out of specific PFCs, visit the ZDHC programme website at: www.roadmaptozero.com/df.php?file=pdf/Phaseout.pdf
Table 1ElevenChemicalClassesandTypicalUsesinTextileProduction
Chemical Classes Typical Uses in the Textile Industry
Specific Process Where Class of Chemical is Utilized
Alkylphenol Ethoxylates/Alkylphenols (APEOs/APEs)
Cleaners, detergents, sizing agents Desizing, scouring, washing, dyeing, softening
Halogenated Flame Retardants Flame retardants Functional finishingChlorinated (Halogenated) Solvents Spot cleaners, dry cleaning, scouring
agentsSizing, dry cleaning, scouring
Chlorinated Benzenes Solvents, fiber swelling agents DyeingChlorophenols Textile preservatives, pesticides Pest control, sizing, dyeing, preservationHeavy Metals Dyes, pigments, catalyst Fiber polymerising, dyeing, printing, tanningOrganotin Compounds (e.g., TBT) Antimicrobial agents, preservatives,
catalystsDyeing, leathering coating, pu synthesising
Per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals Durable water repellents and their by-products
Functional finishing (water/oil repellent)
Ortho-phthalates Plasticiser Dyeing, printing, coating, softeningShort-Chained Chlorinated Paraffins Leather conditioning TanningAzo dyes that may release carcinogenic amines as defined in Annex XVII of REACH
By-product of banned dyes Dyeing, printing
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Study ObjectivesThisBenchmarkingProjectisthefirstofalogicalsuccessiontoJointRoadmapcommitmentsandprojects.Theinformationcollectedwillinformdevelopmentofanactionplantoaddressprioritisationandmanagementofanyofthechemicalsthatwerefoundduringthisstudy.
GiventhehistoryofrestrictedsubstancesandtheexpansivescopeandmissionoftheZDHCgroup,theprimaryobjectivesofthebenchmarkingstudywere:
Toidentifywhetheranalytesfrom11chemicalclassesarepresentindischargesatsupplierlocationsandatwhatlevels
Toidentifypotentialpracticesthatleadtoinconsistentcontrolofchemicalsubstancesinproductsand/orprocesses
Thisstudyalsohadsecondlevelobjectivestoinform the ZDHC members regarding:
The best pathways to engage and partner with suppliersonfuturechemicalsmanagementprogrammes
Thepotentialbarriersthatmaybeencounteredinimprovingchemicalsmanagementinoursupplychain
Thetechnicalhurdlesinvolvingcomplexsamplingandlaboratoryanalyticaltestingcapabilities
Usinginformationgatheredinthiscollaborativebenchmarkingeffort,theZDHCgroupwilltargetandscalethekeyactivitiesthatwillenableconsistentmanagementand/orphaseoutofchemicalstohelpusmeetthegoalofzerodischargeofhazardouschemicalsinoursupplychains.
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ApproachWeevaluatedthepresenceorabsenceoftargetchemicalsindischargesthroughacarefullydesignedprocessthatincludedsiteselection,on-siteassessmentsandanalysis,inventoriesandanalytics,whereappropriate.Indevelopingtheapproach,weexpectedtounderstandthefollowing:
Howdoweknowwhichrestrictedchemicalsarestillinuseinoursupplychain?
Howdoweknowwhichchemicalstoprioritise(basedondischargeinformationgathered)?
Doweseeanycommonfactorscontributingtothedischargeofhazardouschemicals?
Inbuildingtheapproach,ZDHCmemberscollaboratedtoselectsitesanddevelopthechemicallisttobeappliedtoinvestigationsateachfacility.Eachoftheseimportantconsiderationsisoutlinedbelow,aswellasbackgroundonlaboratoryselection.
Benchmarking Site Selection TheZDHCgroupselectedacrosssectionofsuppliers,consideringprocesses,rawmaterialsandgeographiclocationsasselectioncriteria.ThesuppliersselectedrepresentonesthatZDHCbrandmember’sdobusinesswithonaregularbasis.Keyprocessestargetedweredyeingandfinishing,washing,printinganddurablewaterrepellentapplicationforarangeofspecifictextiletypesincludingcotton,polyester,denimandleather.TheBenchmarkingProjectteamselected20sitesinfivecountriesincludingBangladesh,China,India,TaiwanandVietnam.
ConsultantsandrepresentativesfromtheZDHCbrandscomprisedtheoverallprojectteam.Athird-partysupplychainconsultantsupportedthisprojectandcollectedchemicalsmanagementinformationandreviewedwastewatertreatmentfacilities.Additionalconsultantswereengagedtocoordinateandguidethelaboratories,assistwithsamplecollection,overseeanalyticaldatahandlingandcompareresultstoavailabledischargelimits.
Factory Information CollectionTheZDHCmembersoutlinedacoordinatedefforttogainafirsthandlookintopracticesregardingchemicalinventories,wastetreatmentplantoperations,inventoriesanddetailedfactorydischargeinformation.
Figure 1 SiteVisitsbyCountry
Benchmarking Sites
Vietnam
Bangladesh
India
China
Taiwan
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Laboratory Selection Attheoutsetofthestudy,theBenchmarkingProjectteamdevelopedalistofchemicals,labproceduresandrecommendedreportinglimitsbasedoninternationallyrecognizedanalyticalproceduresandprevioussiteinvestigationsconductedbynon-ZDHCmemberorganisations.Thisinformationwasusedtoidentifylabpartnersthatcouldmeetalltherequirementsofthebenchmarkingstudy.
Laboratorieswereselectedtoperformanalyticalservicesbasedonseveralfactors:
MaintainingISO17025accreditation
Abilitytomeettherequestedreportinglimits,whichwerebelowstandardoperatingprocedureinseveralcases
Ability to handle the sample matrices
Staffknowledgeandavailabilitytoconductthefieldsamplingevents
Abilitytodeliverdatainspecifiedformats
ZDHCmembersidentifiedandusedthreelaboratoriesthatsatisfiedallrequirementsforthisstudy.In2012andearly2013,duringprojectimplementation,BenchmarkingProjectteam members worked with the selected laboratories to gather the most appropriate set ofdatapossible.Teammembersdevelopedandconductedtrainingforlaboratorypersonnel,definedlistsofchemicalsforeachsitebasedonproductiontype,developedsolutionstoexpeditesample shipment and assisted in compiling data fromseverallaboratories.
LimitationsTheselectionof20sitesincludesfactorypartnersthatareroutinelyinusebyZDHCbrand'smembers.Thenumberofsitesinthisstudymaynotfullyrepresentthecompletesupplychainbutdoeshoweverprovideasnapshotofcurrentpracticesatanumberofkeyfacilities.TheBenchmarkingStudywillassisttheZDHCmembers in related work streams headed towardsthegoalofzerodischargeofhazardouschemicals.Thegoalwastogatherinformationoncurrentpracticesandnotcontinuetoconductthisstudyasanongoingworkstream.
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Site Visit ProtocolThesitevisitprotocolwasdesignedtocollecttwodifferenttypesofinformation:qualitativeinformation(relatedtochemicalsmanagement,inventoryandwastetreatment)andquantitativeinformation(specificallywaterandsludgedata).
Chemicals Management and Inventory AssessmentTheBenchmarkingProjectteamsconductedfullchemicalsmanagementandinventoryassessmentsat18ofthe20studysites.Fortwosites,thescopeofworkonlycoveredanalyticaleffluentsampling.
Ateachsitevisit,thethird-partyconsultantandZDHCteamconductedanassessmentofcurrentchemicalsmanagementandinventorypractices.Theteamsreviewedinformationwiththefacilitystaffandconductedawalkthroughtoreviewtheproductionfloorandchemicalsmanagementinpractice.Specificobservationsweremaderegarding chemical management policies and stafftraining,MaterialDataSafetySheets(MSDS)orotherinventoryinformation,inventorystorageandarrangement,handling,safetypoliciesandpracticeandapplicablecertifications.
Thesitevisitsandassessmentsattemptedtocapturetypicalbehaviorbutshouldbeviewedasasnapshotintimeandmaynotrepresentallpossiblefactoryconfigurationsorpracticesinthesupplychain.
Sampling Ateachsite,theteamscollectedsampletypesincluding:influent(waterenteringthefacility),dayeffluent(dischargeaftertreatmentsystem),nighteffluentandsludge(solidscapturedfromthe wastewater stream).
TheBenchmarkingProjectteamcoordinatedwithlabstoensurepropertechnicalproceduresforsampling,includingtheuseofappropriatesamplecontainers,preservationofsamplesandadherencetoqualitycontrolmeasures.Theteamalsoworkeddirectlywiththesupplier’sstafftodeterminewhenarepresentativecross-sectionofmaterialsoramanufacturingprocesswouldbeonaproductionline.
Samplingplansweredevelopedforeachfacilitytype,includingtanneries,finishing,waterrepellentandwashing,assamplinglocations,timesandevenchemicalsbeinginvestigatedrequiredadaptation.Afulllistofchemicals,methodsused,reportinglimitsandresultsisprovidedinthereportaddendum.
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Waste Treatment AssessmentBenchmarkingProjectteamscollectedinformationabouton-sitewastewatertreatmentfacilityoperations.Thisinformationincludedsludgewastehandlingproceduresanddisposaltypes.Resultsfromtheeightsitesareprovidedinthereportaddendum,whichrepresentthemajorityofthetechnologiesinuse.
Factory Water Flow
Water SamplesTheteamanalyzedatotalof28effluentsamplesfrom20sites.Foreightsites,theteamtooktwoeffluentsamplespersite,oneduringthedayandoneduringthenighttocomparechangesindischargeconcentrationsacrossdifferentproductionshifts.Sludge SamplesTheteamcollectedandanalyzedatotalof18sludgesamplesfrom20sites.Sludgesampleswereonlycollectedandanalyzedduringdaytimehours,asthesludgesamplesareacompositesampleandeachrepresentsalonger“snapshot”oftimethanwatersamples.
Tracey Saxby, IAN Image Library (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary)
Water in(influent)
FactoryProduction/Processing
WastewaterTreatment
Sludge Removal
Discharge(Effluent)
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Key FindingsThissectionoutlineskeyfindingsregardingchemicalsmanagementandinventories,difficultiesthatfactorypartnershaveinreceivingchemicalinformationaboutcomplexmixturesfromsuppliers,factorywastetreatmentoperationsandanalyticalresultsfromthelaboratories.
Chemicals Management Aproperchemicalsmanagementsystemcanincreasethetransparencyofthemanufacturingprocess,provideasafeworkingenvironmentforstaffandbenefittheecologicalenvironment.Inthisstudy,18of20factorieswereassessedinthefollowingareas:chemicalpolicy,stafftraining,chemicalshandling,safetypolicyandmanagementofdocuments,includingMSDSandchemicalinventory.
Chemicalsmanagementinalargesupplychainiscomplex;inmanycases,hundredsofchemicalformulationsmaybepresentinasinglefactory.Eachoftheseformulationsmaycontainfrom1to20ormoredifferentingredients,withonlysomeoftheingredientsbeingdivulgedtothefactorythatisusingtheproduct.
TheBenchmarkingProjectteamsobservedthatmostfactorieshaddocumentedchemicalmanagementsystemguidelines,butinpractice,theimplementationofthepolicywaslessreliableandvariedfromsuppliertosupplier.Althoughallsuppliershadanassignedpersonresponsibleformanagingthechemicalsusedinfacilities,theimplementationofactualprocessingdidnotstrictlyfollowthewrittenguideline.Forexample,onesitehadformalwrittenprotocolsanddocumentation,butimplementationofprotocolsontheproductionfloorwasinconsistent.
Theworkerknowledgelevelregardingsafehandlingofchemicalsvaried.Althoughmostofthesitesprovidedpersonalprotectiveequipment(PPE)toworkers,threeofthefactories did not properly demonstrate the useofPPEandhandlingofthechemicalsinasafe way.
AnothersignificantobservationfromthisstudyisthequalityofMSDS.Only11%ofthesuppliershadcomplete,correctinformationonfileforchemicals.Theissuewastwofold:first,somechemicalsuppliersdidnotprovideMSDSorSafetyDataSheets(SDS)ofsufficientquality.Second,duetoconfidentialbusinessinformationconcerns,theingredientsinchemicalproductswerelabeledas“TradeSecrets”oromittedwhentheirconcentrationswerelessthan1%pertypicalMSDSstandards.Thelackofsufficientchemicalinformationdoesnotallowthefactorytojudgewhetherthechemicalsmaybesafelyusedinproductionandwhethertheypreventthepresenceofrestricted ingredients in the chemicals.
Duringtheassessments,thefollowingtrendsregardingavailabilityofchemicalinformationatsupplierlocationswerenoted.Thequalityofchemical
Figure 2Chemicals Management Inputs
ProcessKnowledge/
TrainingInput
ManagementProduct
Knowledge
ChemicalManagement
13Benchmarking Report
inventoryandassociatedsystemsvaried,rangingfrom being stored on an Excel spreadsheet to theirmaintenanceinaformaldatabasesystem,withthemajorityofthesupplierskeepingcompleteinventoriesandproperlylabelingchemicals.However,theteamsobservedlabelingissues(e.g.,unlabelledcontainers)at33%ofsuppliersitesasshowninFigure3.Properlabelingisimperativeforensuringthecorrectchemicalsareusedinagivenprocess.Inaddition,thisinformationisnecessarytoenableworkerstoknowhowtoprotectthemselvesproperlywhenworking with those chemicals.
Inatleastfourcases,thesupplierdidnotwanttovolunteerspecificchemicalinventoryinformationregardingthecommercialproductstheyuseintheir processes. They noted concerns related to releasingconfidentialbusinessinformationiftheyweretosharethisinformation.
The Complex Supply ChainEnsuringproperchemicalsmanagementinalargesupplychainiscomplexandwerecognizethechallengesfacedbyoursupplyingpartners.Hundredsofchemicalformulationsmight be present in a single factory in theformofdyes,auxiliaries,detergents,lubricants,etc.Eachoftheseformulationsmaycontainmanydifferentingredients,withonlyaportionofthoseingredientsbeingdivulgedbythemanufacturer.Thisisduetotradesecretsandlimitedreportingrequirements.Thirdandfourthtiersuppliersaddcomplexitytothesupplychainandtraceability of chemicals.
Were MSDS’ of GoodQuality and Complete?
Yes, 11%
No, 89%1
Were ChemicalsProperly Labelled?
Yes, 67%
No, 33%
Figure 3AvailabilityofChemicalInformationandProperLabeling
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Waste Treatment Allofthefacilitiesvisitedinthisbenchmarkingstudywereoperatingwastewatertreatmentsystemsduringthevisits.Thefactorieswereallingoodstandingwithlocalauthoritiesanddischargeofwaterandsludgewastefollowedallapplicablelocalregulations.However,innocasedidlocalregulationscoverthefullsuiteofchemicalsthatwereinvestigatedinthebenchmarkingstudy.
Avarietyofwaterandsludgetreatmentsystemswereencounteredinthisstudy.Tosummarizethewastetreatmentoperationsinuse,theprocessescanbecombinedintoasmallnumberofoperativetypesforeachdischargetype:
Water Dischargeoftreatedwaterdirectlytoasurfacewater body
Discharge of treated water to a secondary municipaltreatmentsystem
Sludge Sludgeisincinerated Sludgeisnotincinerated
Sludgeisusedasafuel
Effluent (Wastewater)Thewatertreatmentsystemstypicallyinuseincludedasettlingorfiltrationprocess,acoolingtower,pHadjustment,asolidsseparationprocessandbiologicaldegradationofsludge(eitheraerobic,anaerobic,orboth)priortodischarge.
Secondaryortertiarytreatmentprocesseswereinplaceatmostfacilities,butthevarietyofthesetreatmentsismoreexpansive.Approximatelyhalf
ofthefacilitiesvisitedwerecurrentlyrecyclingwater from their own waste treatment facility for useinotherindustrialprocesses.
SludgeSludgeiscreatedbycapturingthesolidsportionoftheeffluentstreampriortodischarge.Allfacilitieshadsystemsinplacetoseparatethesludge(solidswaste)fromtheeffluentstreamusingavarietyofcapturemethods.Separationofsolidsfromthewaste stream was typically being performed by one or more of the following processes:
Filtrationusingmembranes,screens,orotherphysical barriers
Settlingthesolidsoutinalargetank
Coagulation(combiningsmallparticlesintolargeronessotheyaremoreeffectivelysegregated from the water)
Eachfacilityalsoemployedasludgethickeningprocesstoremovewaterandincreasesludgedensitypriortofinaldischarge.Onceseparatedandthickenedorsolidified,thesludgewasdisposedofinavarietyofways,including:
a. Factorycontractswithauthorizedcontractortoperform disposal work. Final disposal method wasspecifiedinsomecases.
“Sludge”isthesolidportionofthewastestreamthatcollectsoveraperiodoftimeandwhichissegregatedfromthewastewater stream.The solids in the waste stream may be comprisedofsmalltextileparticles,dirt,cleaningproducts,chemicalprecipitates,oranyotherlooselyboundmaterialthatenters a processing step.
Secondary and Tertiary Water Treatment Types Encountered• Grit screening• Secondarycoagulation/flocculation• Secondaryaerobicand/oranaerobic
sludgetreatment• Advancedoxidationprocess
• Constructedwetlandtreatment• Sandfiltration• Ultrafiltration• Activatedcarbonadsorption• Recyclingofwaterforchromiumreuse
15Benchmarking Report
b. Incineration
c. Sludgeusedbylocalpowerplantasfuel
d. Sludgeusedbythefactorytopowertheboilers
Allsiteswereoperatingtreatmentsystemsdesigned to treat chemical discharge in factory effluent.Noneofthefactorieswasreleasinguntreatedwastewaterintoasurfacewaterbodyortoamunicipaltreatmentsystem.Theeffectivenessofeachtypeoftreatmentsystemvariesandproperoperationandmaintenanceofatreatmentsystemisakeyfactorineliminatingunwantedchemicalsoncetheyentertheproductionprocess.
Laboratory Testing ResultsInthemajorityofcases,theBenchmarkingProjectteamobservedthatfactorydischargewaswellbelowanyavailabledischargelimitsforeffluent.Theinformationpresentedinthisreportincludesalldetectionsinthesamples,asfardownastheanalyticalmethodsandlaboratorieswerecapableofreporting,notonlyforchemicaldetectionswhichwereoveranavailableregulatorylimit.Thisinformationisimperativeforindustry-widecollaborationwiththegoalofzerodischarge.
Afulldetailoflaboratoryresultsbyindividualchemicalispresentedinthereportaddendum.
Aspreviouslynoted,theBenchmarkingProjectteamexaminedapproximately150analytesateachof20sites.Thiscollectionofanalytesvariedslightlyfromsitetositebasedontheproductionprocessesandlabcapabilities.
Water Sample Results SummaryThefollowingsectionssummarizethelaboratoryresultsforwatersamplescollectedateachfacility.Samplescollectedincludewaterenteringthefactoryfromawelloramunicipalwatersource(influent)andwaterexitingthewastetreatmentfacility(effluent)whichisthendischarged to either a secondary waste treatment facilityordirectlytoasourcewaterbody,suchasariverorsettlingpond.
The chemical classes that were detected most oftenpersitewereheavymetals,SCCPs,ortho-
The ZDHC Benchmarking Project team examined approximately 150 analytes at each of the 20 sites in Bangladesh,
China, India, Taiwan and Vietnam.
What levels of chemical detection have been reported? Theanalyticalmethodsusedarecapableofdetectingchemicalsinthepartspermillion,partsperbillion,orpartspertrillionranges.Someapproximateexamplesofwhattheselevelsmeanbywayofcomparison:One Part per Billion1secondin32yearstime1footofatriptothemoon½ teaspoon of water in an Olympic sized (50,000gallon)swimmingpool
One Part per Trillion1secondin317centuriesoftime1inchto16millionmiles1dropofwaterin20Olympicsized(50,000gallon)swimmingpools
TotiethiscomparisonintotheBenchmarkingproject,mostMSDSorSDSinformationsheetsonlyrequirereportinghazardouschemicalconstituentsabove1%ofaformulation.1%isequivalentto10,000ppmor10,000,000ppb.Units comparison PPM(partpermillion)=mg/L(milligramsperliter),mg/kg(milligramsperkilogram) PPB(partperbillion)=μg/L(microgramsperliter),μg/kg(microgramsperkilogram) PPT(partspertrillion=ng/L(nanogramsperliter),ng/kg(nanogramsperkilogram)Example:20ppt=20ng/L=0.020μg/L
16Benchmarking Report
phthalates,chlorinatedbenzenesandAPEOs.Theleastdetectedclasseswerechlorophenols,organotinsandhalogenatedflameretardants.
Figure4providesasummaryofthenumberofsites that had at least one analyte detected within the11chemicalclasses.Therewasatleastasingledetectionofananalyteineachchemicalclass.
Figure5comparesthenumberofdatapointswithananalytedetectedtothetotalnumber
ofdatapointscollectedwithineachclass(e.g.,asinglesampleanalyzedfor10individualheavymetalsisrepresentedas10datapoints).This comparison was performed to obtain an overviewofeffluentdischarges.
Thehighestpercentageofdetectionsindescendingorderareheavymetals(53%),chlorinatedparaffins(46%),PFCs(20%)andAPEOs(13%).Eachofthesefourclassesisoutlinedfurtherfordetailonspecificchemicalsdetected.
Number of Sites With Detections in Each Class18
7
6
5
1
1
1
12
10
8
3
Heavy Metals
Paraffins C10-C13
Chlorinated Benzenes
APEO
PFC
Chlorinated (halogenated) Solvents
Azo Dyes
Organotin
Chlorophenols
Halogenated Flame Retardants
Ortho-phthalates
Number of Sites0 5 10 15 20
Figure 4NumberofSiteswithatLeastOneAnalyteDetectedperChemicalClass(Effluent)
Figure 5NumberofDataPointswithDetectedAnalytevs.TotalDataPointsCollected,Effluent
0
200
400
600
800
Heavy Metals Short Chain Chlorinated
Paraffins (SCCP)
PFCs APEO Ortho-phthalates
Chlorinated (Halogenated)
Solvents
Chloroben-zenes
Chlorophenois Halogenated Flame
Retardants
Organotin Compounds
Azo Dyes (Amines from
Azo Dyes)
140
13 9 22 30 17 9 3 1 1 3
828
196108
192
328
480
340
165
4628
263
Effluent Sample Results
Number of data points with detected analyteTotal data points collected
17Benchmarking Report
Heavy MetalsFigure6presentsthemaximumconcentrationofeachmetaldetectedintheinfluentandeffluent.Zincwasfoundinhighlevelsinthefactoryeffluentinonecase,withthemaximumdischargeconcentrationat447μg/L.
Zinchadthehighestobservedinfluentconcentrationat4,960μg/L – the highest metal analyte concentrationoverall.Infact,sevenofthe17sites(41%)withzincdetectedintheeffluenthadhigherconcentrationsofzincintheincomingwaterthantheeffluent.Copperandleadalsotendedtohavehigherconcentrationsininfluentandlowerconcentrationsineffluent.Thiscouldbecausedbycopperorleadwaterinfrastructure.Overall,thisindicatesthecomplexityofaddressingheavymetals,whicharisefromavarietyofsources,inwetprocessingandsubsequenteffluent.
Figure 6HeavyMetalsinInfluentandEffluent
AnalyteAntimony Arsenic Cadmium Chromium,
hexavalent Cobalt Copper Lead Mercury Nickel Zinc
Influent8 5 N.D. N.D. 3 400 27 2 123 4,960
Day Effluent 234 21 22 N.D. 16 285 16 1 7 447
Night Effluent 135 3 N.D. N.D. 2 22 5 1 13 87
Usage of Heavy MetalsTotalheavymetalsincludeLead,MercuryandCadmium.Paintsareoneofthemostcommonsourcesofheavymetalsaspigmentsandstabilizers.Red,yellow,orange,greenandcolorsmadeofthesebasecolorsarethemostlikelysources.Pigmentsareoftenusedtocolormoldedplastictrims.Somelowtemperaturemeltingplasticsuseheavymetalsasstabilizerstopreventtheplasticfrombreakingdownathighapplicationtemperatures.
LeadLeadisanaturallyoccurringmetalelementthatcanbepresentasapuremetalorasleadcompounds(e.g.,salts).Inapparelandfootwear,leadmaybeassociatedwithplastics,paints,inks,pigments,surfacecoatingsandmetal components.
CadmiumCadmiumisanaturallyoccurringandabundantmetalthatdoesnoteasilycorrode(rust).Itcanbepresentasapuremetalorascadmiumcompounds(e.g.,salts).Cadmiumcompoundsarefoundinorusedas:pigments,astabilizerforPVC
plastic,alloysforplatingofothermetals,paints(e.g.,surfacepaintsonzippersandbuttons).
MercuryMercuryisanaturallyoccurringmetalelementthatcanbepresentasapuremetalorasMercurycompounds(e.g.,salts).Itcanexistasmetallicmercury(liquid),agas(whenheated),orassolids(inorganicandorganiccompounds).Mercurycompoundscanbepresentinpesticidesandcanalsobeusedinpaints.
Maximum Metal Concentration (μg/L)
N.D. (non detect)
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
18Benchmarking Report
Short Chain Chlorinated ParaffinsFigure7representsthemaximumconcentrationofSCCPsdetectedininfluentandeffluent.Whilethehighestconcentrationappearedintheinfluent,thiswasananomaly.Onlytwoofeightsiteshadhigherinfluentconcentrations.
Figure 7ChlorinatedParaffinsinInfluentandEffluent
AnalyteShort Chain Chlorinated Paraffins
(SCCP) with C10-C13
Influent
72.70
Day Effluent
35.10
Night Effluent 11.20
Usage of Short Chain Chlorinated ParaffinsSCCPs are chlorinated hydrocarbons with a straightcarbonchain.Theycanbeusedas:flameretardants,leathergreasingagentsandforfatliquoringofleather.
PFCsFigure8presentsthemaximumconcentrationofPFOAandPFOSdetectedininfluentandeffluent,whichwerelowacrossthesiteswithPFCprocessing.Atonlyonesite,PFOAwasdetectedin the incoming water.
Figure 8PFOS/PFOAinInfluentandEffluent
AnalytePerfluoroocatanoic Acid
(PFOA)Perfluorooctane Sulfonate
(PFOS)
Influent1.48 0.01
Day Effluent 1.60 0.03
Night Effluent 0.30 N.D.
Usage of PFCsFluorinatedcompoundsinvestigatedinthisstudywereperfluorooctanoicacid(PFOA)andperfluorooctanesulfonicacid(PFOS)andarecommonlyreferredtoasPFCs.Thesefluorinatedsurfactantsareusedindurablewaterrepellentapplicationtoachieveahighlevelofwater,oilandstainrepellency.Thesetwochemicals,PFOAandPFOS,arebeingphasedoutofuseduetotoxicity,bio-accumulativepropertiesandlongevityintheenvironment.ThePFCsareonlyinuseatasmallnumberoffacilitiesinthisstudywheredurablewaterrepellentsareapplied.Alternativesthatofferthesamelevelofperformancearenotreadilyavailableatthistime.SeetheZDHCreportonwaterrepellencytreatments here: http://www.roadmaptozero.com/df.php?file=pdf/DWR_Report.pdf
Maximum SCCP Concentration (μg/L)
11.20
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
Maximum PFC Concentration (μg/L)
N.D. (non detect) 6.00
2.00 8.00
4.00 10.00
19Benchmarking Report
APEOsFigure9representsthemaximumconcentrationofAPEOsininfluentandeffluent.Duetovariationsintestingprotocolsindifferentregions,theAPEOresultswerereporteddifferentlybyeachlaboratory2. Theresultsarepresentedasreported,toavoidcombiningtheresultsandmissinganyinformation.WhileafewAPEOanalytesappearedintheinfluent,noneexceededtheeffluentconcentration,indicatingtheuseofAPEOsinproductionprocesses.
Figure 9APEOsinInfluentandEffluent
Analyte
Nony
lphen
ol
Nony
lphen
ol die
thoxy
lates
, NP
2EO
Nony
lphen
ol mo
noeth
oxyla
tes,
NP1E
O
Nony
lphen
ol eth
oxyla
tes
(NPE
OS)
Nony
lphen
ol eth
oxyla
tes,
n=4 t
o n=1
5
Octyl
phen
ol
Octyl
phen
ol die
thoxy
lates
, OP
2EO
Octyl
phen
ol mo
noeth
oxyla
tes,
OP1E
O
Octyl
phen
ol eth
oxyla
tes
(OPE
Os)
Octyl
phen
ol eth
oxyla
tes,
n=4 t
o n=1
5
Total
non-i
conic
surfa
ctants
(N
onylp
heno
l and
octyl
phen
ol eth
oxyla
tes, n
-4 to
n-15
Influent0.20 0.18 0.05 N.D. N.D. N.D. N.D. N.D. N.D. N.D. N.D.
Day Effluent
3.78 0.20 0.11 6.33 0.50 0.45 0.16 N.D. N.D. N.D. 0.50
Night Effluent 0.90 0.26 0.25 0.30 0.42 0.22 N.D. N.D. 0.30
Maximum APEO Concentration (μg/L)
N.D. (non detect) 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00
Usage of APEOsAPEOsarenon-ionicsurfactantsincludingNonylphenolEthoxylates(NPEOs)andOctylphenolEthoxylates(OPEO).NPEOsandOPEOscandegradeintononylphenolandoctylphenol,respectively.APEOscanbeusedasorfoundin:detergents,scouringagents,wettingagents,softeners,emulsifier/dispersingagentsfordyesandprints,impregnatingagents,degreasingagentsforleather,leatherfinishing,de-gummingforsilkproduction,dyesandpigmentpreparations,polyesterpaddinganddown/featherfillings.APEOsareincreasinglyprohibitedandalternativesfortheiruseinproductiondoes exist in many cases.
2 APEOscanbeassessedinavarietyofways.AportionofthelabsreportedAPEOsgroupedtogetherastotalnonyphenolethoxylatesandtotaloctylphenolethoxylates.TheremaininglabsreportedAPEOsseparatedintorangesbasedonnumberofethoxylateunits,andalsoreportedtotalnon-ionicsurfactants.
20Benchmarking Report
Regulatory Limits for Effluent Allofthelocationsthatweresampledwereconfirmedtobeincompliancewithlocaldischargeregulations,whereapplicableandingoodstandingwithlocalauthoritiesatthetimeofthevisit.However,publisheddischargelimitsexistforonlyasmallsubsetofthechemicalsinthisinvestigation.Whereotherstringentwaterqualitylimitswereavailable,theteamcomparedeffluentdetectionstothese limits.
Consultantsreviewedtheresultsandcomparedresultstopublishedwaterqualitylimitsforthetextileindustry.Publishedlimitspertainingtofactoryeffluentwereonlyfoundforpentachlorophenol,generalchemistryandheavymetals.Thesourcesoftheeffluentlimitswere:
bluesign®SurfaceWaterDischargeLimits3
AmericanApparelandFootwearAssociationGlobalTextileEffluentGuidelines4
TaiwanEffluentWaterStandards5
ChinaEffluentWaterStandardsforDyeingandFinishingintheTextileIndustry6
Figure10showsacomparisonbetweenpublishedeffluentlimitsanddetectedanalytesatthefactories.Sincethefocusofthestudywasthe11chemicalclasses,noteverylocationwassampledforgeneralwaterqualityparameters,withatotalof16samplescollectedfromeightsites.
Figure 10ComparisonofGeneralWaterQualityResultstoPublishedLimits
General Water Quality Results vs. Published LimitsSulfide
Total Phenolics (4-AAP spectrophotometric)
Color
BOD (5-day)
pH
Ca, Mg hardness (for metals bioavailability)
TDS
COD
TSS
Number of Detections Exceeding Published Limits-16 Samples from 8 Sites
0
0
0 5 10 15 20
0
9
0
0
0
7
7
3 bluesign®CriteriaforTextileManufacturers;http://www.bluesign.com/index.php?id=1514 https://www.wewear.org/assets/1/7/EffluentGuidelines.pdf;Accessed2/25/20135 http://law.epa.gov.tw/en/laws/480770486.html6 GB4287-2012,Dischargestandardofwaterpollutantsfordyeingandfinishingoftextileindustry
Whatpublisheddischargelimitsdidwefindforeffluent?• Informationfrombluesign®Surface
Water Discharge Limits2
• American Apparel and Footwear AssociationGlobalTextileEffluentGuidelines3
• TaiwanEffluentWaterStandards4
• ChinaTextileEffluentWaterStandards5
21Benchmarking Report
Totalsuspendedsolids(TSS),chemicaloxygendemand(COD)andbiologicaloxygendemand(BOD)showeddetectionsoveravailableeffluentlimits.Thesearegeneraleffluentmonitoringparameters,notspecifictoanyonechemical.
Figure 11ComparisonofHeavyMetalsandPentachlorophenolResultstoPublishedLimits
2
1
0
0
1
0
Heavy Metals and Phentachlorophenol Results vs. Published Limits
1
0
2
Pentachlorophenol
Chromium, hexavalent, Cr(VI)
Cadmium, Cd
Mercury, Hg
Cobalt, Co
Arsenic, As
Lead, Pb
Nickel, Ni
Copper, Cu
Zinc, Zn
Number of Detections Exceeding Published Limits - 25 Samples From 20 Sites
Antimony, Sb
0 5 10 15 20 25
0
0
Basedontheavailableinformation,averysmallnumberofheavymetalsweredetectedoveranyavailableeffluentlimits.
Sludge Sample ResultsEighteenlocationsweresampledforsludgeduringdaytimesamplingevents.Sludgesamplestypicallyrepresentalongertimeframeofplantoperationthanwatersamplesand,therefore,donotnecessitatesamplingduringdifferentshifts.Thesludgesamplesmaybemoreconcentratedthaneffluentsamples,astheconcentrationofchemicalsinthesludgeisexpectedasanaturaloutcomeofwastewater treatment.
Onceachemicalissegregatedintothesludgematrix,itisreducedoreliminatedfromtheeffluentstream.Thechemicalsthatconcentrateinsludgearegenerallylowerinsolubilityorhavebecomechemicallyattachedtosolidsinupstreamprocesses.Figure12indicatesthenumberofsiteswithatleastoneanalytedetectedperchemicalclass.Forexample,atleastoneheavymetalwasdetectedateachof18sites.Thisinformationisusefulbecauseitprovidesameanstoassesstheextentofthedischarge for each class of chemicals.
22Benchmarking Report
Figure 12NumberofSiteswithatLeastOneAnalyteDetectedperChemicalClass(Sludge)
Number of Sites With Detections in Each Class18
5
4
2
0
0
0
0 5 10 15 20
11
11
9
2
Total Number of Sites Where Each Class Was Detected
Heavy Metals
Ortho-phthalates
APEO
PFCs
Chlorobenzenes
Azo Dyes (Amines from Azo Dyes)
Chlorophenols
Chlorinated (Halogenated) Solvents
Organotin Compounds
Halogenated Flame Retardants
Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCP)
Figure13comparesthenumberofdatapointswithananalytedetectedtothetotalnumberofdatapointscollectedwithineachclass(e.g.,asinglesampleanalyzedfor10individualheavymetalsisrepresentedas10datapoints).Thiscomparisonwasperformedtoobtainanoverviewofsludgedischarges.
Figure 13NumberofDataPointswithDetectedAnalytevs.TotalDataPointsCollected,Sludge
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Heavy Metals Short Chain Chlorinated
Paraffins (SCCP)
PFCs APEO Ortho-phthalates
Chloroben-zenes
Chlorophenols Azo Dyes (Amines from
Azo Dyes)
Chlorinated (Halogenated)
Solvents
Halogenated Flame
Retardants
Organotin Compounds
110
11 7 15 294 2 3 0 0 0
12690
141
514
112
204230
104
3618
180
Number of data points with detected analyteTotal data points collected
Sludge Sample Results
23Benchmarking Report
Aswiththeeffluentsamples,thebenchmarkingteamnotedthepresenceofthesamefourclassesofchemicals-heavymetals,SCCPs,PFCsandAPEOs-asthemostprevalentlydetectedinsludge.
TheBenchmarkingProjectteamexpectedtofindchemicalsinthesludge,asitisanindicationthatthetreatmentsystemiseffectivelysegregatingthosechemicalsfromtheeffluentstreambeforethewaterisdischarged.Whenchemicalsthathavebeenrestrictedforsometimearefoundinsludge,however,thereareissuesbeyondproperwastetreatmentoperation,suchaschemicalsmanagement,thatmayneed to be addressed.
ConclusionsTheBenchmarkingProjectresultsprovideageneralunderstandingofcurrentpracticesandthestateofdischargeatsitesconductingkeywetprocesses.Thestudydoesnotrepresenttheentiresupplychainandshouldbeconsideredasnapshotintimeofcurrentpractices.However,itallowsZDHCmemberstomakemoreeducateddecisionsandtoprioritisefutureeffortsasweworktoachievetheimportantgoalofzerodischargeofhazardouschemicals.
Key Chemical Classes Found in DischargesThekeychemicalclassesfoundintheobservedeffluentandsludgeareheavymetals,SCCPs,PFCs,APEOsandortho-phthalates.ManybrandshavebeentargetingsubstancesinthesechemicalclassesthroughRSLswhichrestrictspecificchemicalsubstancesinproducts.However,thefrequencyofdetectionintheeffluentindicatesthesesubstancesarestillpresentinformulationsandprocessesatthesupplierlocations.
Inaddition,therewerenotedinstancesofrestrictedsubstancesinuseontheproductionflooratafewsites.Thisobservationandthedischargedataindicatedthatsuppliershaveintentionalandunintentionaluseofthesechemicalsubstances,especiallyonthefactoryfloor,wherechemicalsmaybeusedbutnotasanintentionaladditiontoproducts.
Chemical Management and Information Improvement OpportunityThereareopportunitiestocollaboratewithsuppliersregardingchemicalsmanagementandinventories/informationonchemicalsusedinproductionprocesses.TherearethreekeyfocusareasforfutureZDHCsupport:
Chemicals management implementation: Mostfactorieshadwritten,statedchemicalmanagementsystemguidelines.However,inpractice,theimplementationofthepolicywaslessreliableandvariedfromsuppliertosupplier.
Chemical information:Inmostcases,thechemicalinformationprovidedtofactoriesbychemicalsupplierslacksappropriatedetailstomakeinformeddecisionsregardingchemicalcomponents.Itwassometimesunclearwhetherarestrictedsubstanceispresentinaformulationattraceamountsorifitisaminoringredientandnotlistedaspartoftheformulationduetointellectualpropertyconcerns.
Inventories:Manysuppliersinthisstudykeptgoodinventoryrecords,butthereisroomforimprovementinthequalityofrecordsandtransparency.
24Benchmarking Report
Infrastructure ConsiderationsLaboratoriesintheregionwereabletohandletheBenchmarkingStudysamples,buttheprojectexperiencedalearningcurveinthisarea.Shippingsamplesacrossborderstolaboratoryfacilitiesthatcouldprocessthesampleswasalsoachallengeandthetimeframefordeliveryoflaboratorydatawaslongerthananticipatedbythelabsorprojectteam.Complexsamplingproceduresandanalyticaltestingbeyondstandardoperatingproceduresalreadyinuseatthelaboratoriesalsoproveddifficult.Basedontheseexperiences,infrastructureandlaboratorycapabilitiesareimportanttoconsiderinfutureactivitiesorlargescaletesting.
TrainingManystaffatsupplierlocationsnotedthattheydosendpersonneltotrainingbutthedepthandbreadthoftrainingisunclear.Inaddition,staffhandlingofchemicalsontheproductionfloorwassometimesnotthepersonnelthatattendedtraining.
25Benchmarking Report
Next StepsBasedonthefindingsfromthisstudy,theBenchmarkingProjectteamhasdeterminedkeyactionsthegroupwillundertaketoeffectbetterenvironmentalandhumanhealthoutcomesatoursupplierlocations.Table2summarizesthenextstepsandactionitems.
Table 2NextStepsandActionItems
Chemical Classes Majo
rity o
f ch
emica
ls on
RSL
s
Develop/enforce Tools and Policies to Affect Phase Out of RSL Chemicals Chemicals Management Improvement
Communi-cations on Policiesa
Resources to Develop
Positive Lists
Guidebooks to Help Eliminate
Chemicals
Chem. Best Practices
Pilot Project
Chem. Mgmt
Training
Disclosure & Info
ExchangeAlkylphenol Ethoxylates/Alkylphenols (APEOs/APEs)
Chemicals management improvement efforts will affect all chemical classes
covered by the Benchmarking Study as well as all other chemicals in use.
Halogenated Flame Retardants
Chlorinated (Halogenated) Solvents
Chlorinated benzenes
Chlorophenols
Heavy Metals
Organotin Compounds (e.g., TBT)
Perfluorinated Chemicals
Ortho-phthalates
Short-Chained Chlorinated Paraffins
Azo dyes that may release carcinogenic amines as defined in Annex XVII of REACH
a DevelopmentofamanufacturingRSLisunderwayaspartoftheZDHCProgramme
Action Items for Key Chemical Classes Found in Discharges1.Prioritise Chemicals Classes. Wheretheteamobserveddetectionsinsuppliereffluent,wewill
takeactiontoaddressthesesubstancesandwillprioritisethechemicalclassesthathadthemostfrequentdetections.Inparticular,theteamwillprioritisethechemicalsclassesthatexhibitpersistent,bioaccumulativeand/ortoxiccharacteristics:SCCPs,ortho-phthalates,APEOsandPFOA/PFOS.Wewillalsolookatheavymetalsandthecomplexityassociatedwiththeirreduction,specificallythoseduetonaturalwaterhardnessandincomingwatercontamination.
26Benchmarking Report
Theteamwillcontinuetoaddressotherchemicalclassesthatwerenotdetectedinsignificantlevelsinthisstudy.Resultsindicatetherehasbeenimprovedeliminationofsubstancessuchasazo-dyes,organotinsandchlorobenzenesthattheindustryhasbeenaddressingformanyyears.
Mostoftheanalytesinthisstudyhavebeentargetedhistoricallyforrestrictioninthesupplychainandwillbeaddressedthroughspecificactionplans.ThisworkispartofdedicatedworkstreamsoutlinedintheJointRoadmap,version2.
2. Phase Out/Eliminate RSL Chemicals from Use. Whendetectedchemicalsarealreadyconstituentsonarestrictedsubstanceslist,wewilldeveloptools,informationandpoliciesthatwillhelppromotefullelimination—notjusteliminationinproductbutalsoinproductionprocessesifapplicable.
Theteamwillensurethatappropriatetoolsandcommunicationsarecompletedforeachtargetedanalyte.Toolsandpolicieswewillpursueinclude,butarenotlimitedto:
Communicationstorelevantsuppliersreinforcingourpolicytoavoidspecificsubstances
Listsofresourcesthatwillhelpsuppliersidentify“positive”formulations
Guidebooksthathelpdiagnosewheretofindsubstancesthatareubiquitousandhardtoeliminate(suchasAPEOs)
Phaseoutactivitieswilllikelybesimilaracrossdifferentchemicalclasses.Wewillensureappropriatetoolsandcommunicationsarecompletedforthetargetedanalytes.
Forsomenewchemicalsbeingconsideredforaction,wemayinvestinresearchtoidentifyviablealternativesandadditionalinformationonbothuseandsubstitutionpotentialinthesupplychain.Forexample,whileallZDHCbrandshavecommittedtophaseoutoflong-chainperfluorinatedchemicals,weareresearchingalternativesforwater,stainandoilrepellencyperformancerequirements.Researchlikethisisintendedtoleadtoqualityproductperformanceandlowerenvironmentalimpact.
Currentwaterqualitystandardsfocusongeneralwaterqualityparametersandheavymetals.Acommondischargestandardwithamorecomprehensivesetofwaterqualityparameterswouldhelpcreatecommonexpectationofwhat“good”lookslikeacrossthesupplychain.Thisapproachwarrantsfurtherexploration.7
Chemical Management and Information Improvement OpportunityTopromotebetterchemicalsmanagement,thereareanumberofactionstheZDHCmemberswillundertaketoenablehighperformanceinthisarea.Threeareaswillbetargeted:abestpracticespilotstudy,chemicalsmanagementtraininganddisclosure/informationexchange.
Best Practices Pilot Project. Bestpracticesforchemicalsmanagement,treatmentandwaterstewardshiphavebeenestablished.However,thereisnoclearvaluepropositionandprovenoutcomesfromimplementingthesebestpractices.Theteamwillworkwithkeyexpertsandstakeholderstodevelopachemicalsmanagementbestpracticepilotproject.
Bestpracticeswillbeoutlinedandthepilotprojectsetuptomonitorthebusinesscaseaswellaseffluentperformance.
7 Whilecompleteeliminationispossibleformanysubstances,limitsarehelpfulforothersduetotheirubiquityandnaturaloccurrence.
27Benchmarking Report
Develop and Implement Chemicals Management Training. The ZDHC team is working with industrypartnerstodevelopchemicalsmanagementtrainingforsuppliersandeventuallyforothersupplychainpartnersandbrands.TheteamwillofferthefirsttrainingsessionsintheFall2013.ThistrainingwillprovideaconsistentplatformforZDHCsupplychainpartners,tailoredtoallwhohavearoleinhandlingchemicals,notjustmanagersorthoseoverseeingactivities.Providingtheseresourcesthroughacommonindustryplatformshouldreduceduplicationofeffort,promotecommoneffortandthereduceburdenonsupplychainpartners.
Disclosure and Information Exchange.InformationexchangeisanotherareaoffocusfortheZDHCteam.Otherindustriesandcoalitionshaveexaminedsimilarissues(forexample,theelectronicsindustry).ZDHCwillpartnerwithstakeholderstolearnaboutexistingsystemsandsolutionsandapplythosetothetextileindustry.Thisworkisstilldevelopingandrequiresextensivepartnershipwiththechemicalindustry,apparelandfootwearindustryandpolicygroups.
Committedtotransparency,wewillcontinuetoshareinformationandresultsasweimplementtheseprojectsandtasks.Wewillprovidedeliverablesandcommunicationsonourwebsite(www.roadmaptozero.com)andthroughwebinarswithstakeholders.Welookforwardtocontinuallylearningmoreabouthowtoimproveenvironmentalperformanceacrossoursupplychainandencourageyoutoparticipateandcontributetothisprogrammetoeliminatehazardouschemicaldischargesthroughoutoursupplychain.