Research and Development

The textile processing sector is a vital contributor to both wealth and employment within the textile industry. It's role in adding value to textile products cannot be overstated. In pursuit of sustainable development, the State of Tamil Nadu aspires to become a thriving hub for textile businesses, all while minimising it's impact on the environment. This initiative highlights the government's dedication to environmental concerns and its pioneering efforts to address a pressing issue: the accumulation of approximately 73,000 metric tonnes of mixed waste salts within 18 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in Tirupur.

the challenges

The growing stockpile of mixed waste salts poses significant health and environmental hazards. Hence, it is imperative to undertake Research and Development (R&D) activities to transform this unusable waste into valuable by-products, aligning with the principles of a "Circular Economy" and realising the concept of "Wealth from Waste."

Government's Commitment

Recognising the urgency of this issue, the hon’ble minister for Handlooms and Textiles has announced a comprehensive initiative titled during the year 2022 - 2023 "Facilitation of Research and Development Activities to dispose of waste salt generated after processing and recovery of water piled up in the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) of the Textile Processing Industry in Tamil Nadu without any environmental impact. To support these efforts, the government has allocated a budget of Rs. 25.00 lakh to cover expenses related to experiments, investigations, demonstrations, and the facilitation of R&D activities aimed at identifying the most suitable technology for addressing mixed waste salt issues in CETPs.

The Programme Aims to Achieve Three Main Goals.

Program Aims To Achieve Three Main Goals

To stop further accumulation of mixed waste salt in the concurrent Reject Management System (RMS).

Preventing Further Accumulation

To process the already-accumulated salts into usable by-products.

The threefold objectives of the Announcement are as detailed below

Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the cost-effective establishment and running of CETPs to reduce the cost of effluent treatment.

Scientific Approval Committee

To facilitate the achievement of these objectives, a Scientific Approval Committee was formed, chaired by Dr. Kurian Joseph, Professor and Director of the Centre of Environment Studies at Anna University, Chennai. This committee comprises technical experts from Central and State Research/Academic Institutions and Private Organisations.

Future Outlook

The Scientific Approval Committee has convened seven meetings and deliberated extensively on proposed technologies from various providers. The committee is diligently working to identify the most effective and environmentally friendly technology to manage concurrent mixed salt rejects and dispose of accumulated mixed waste salts within the CETPs. In conclusion, this initiative by the Government of Tamil Nadu reflects a proactive approach towards sustainable textile processing. By converting waste into wealth, reducing environmental impact, and promoting a circular economy, Tamil Nadu aims to create a thriving textile ecosystem while safeguarding its natural environment.