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FPCCI launches second phase of campaign to combat pollution

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has launched the second phase of "Environmental technology programme for industry" (ETPI) with the assistance of the Netherlands to combat existing and expected industrial pollution in ten sectors.

This was disclosed by the ETPI Project Coordinator, Azher Uddin Khan, in his letter addressed to all chambers and trade associations.

He said the primary objective of ETPI is to promote the use of environmentally safe technologies for the production of environmentally safe products manufacturing and industrial sectors. The second phase is being implemented in alignment with the National Conservation Strategy (NCS) and covers all the priority industrial sub-sector identified in the NCS.

ETPI works with Pakistani industries and their associations in identifying the most economical pollution prevention and abatement technologies and their adoption. The major component of this programme is to establish live examples in sixteen major industrial sector of Pakistan for the direct dissemination of environmental technologies in the country, he added.

In first phase, he said that ETPI has successfully implemented demonstration projects in leather, pulp & paper, sugar, fertilizer, textile and edible oil sectors. At present, under second phase, ETPI is working with ten other industrial sectors including petrochemicals, industrial chemicals, steel, pesticides & insecticides, dyes & pigments, cement, food processing, dairy, automobiles, polyester fibre and yarn sectors, he added.

He said that this project began in 1996 and works with Pakistani industry and their associations in identifying the most economical pollution prevention and abatement technologies and in implementing these solutions. The five components of the programme include the development of a user-friendly database of relevant information, institutional networking within and between key industrial institutions of the country, dissemination and communication to promote cleaner industrial production, institutional support and training to create in-house environmental capacity within chambers and industrial associations, and demonstration projects in 20 selected industrial sub sectors to demonstrate the economic feasibility and environmental efficacy of environmental technologies, he mentioned.

He explained that three representatives from industrial units are selected in each sub-sector for preliminary environmental audits to assess the extent and nature of the environmental problems. Based on the result of these audits, a general sub-sector report is prepared in consultation with industry experts. The sub-sector report highlights the key environmental issues in that industry sector, lists possible solutions for more environmental problems in that sub-sector, and recommends the technologies that are most economically feasible and environmentally appropriate to Pakistan's industrial conditions.

He said that ETPI has published technical brochures, which presents a summarized version of these sub-sector reports. These brochures will be produced for all twenty industrial sub sectors. It should be noted that the data used here is based on three audited units. While ETPI considers the results generally representative of sub-sector conditions, individual variations from one unit to the other, and exceptions due to specific process conditions, are to be expected.

He mentioned that textile processing industries is one of the most important industries of Pakistan with regard to production, export and labour force employment. The number of industries working in this sector is estimated to be around 670. Karachi has the major share with almost 300 industries. Apart from Karachi, most industries are located in Punjab especially in Faisalabad.

Textile processing employs a variety of chemicals, depending on the nature of the raw material and product. Some of these chemicals are different type of enzymes, detergents, dyes, acids, sodas and salts. The fate of these chemicals varies, ranging from 100% retention on the fabric to 100% discharge with the effluent.

Azher Uddin Khan said that water is the most consumed utility. As the supply is not always enough, the industries rely heavily on ground water. In addition, a considerable amount of gas and electricity is also consumed by the industry, he added.

He observed that the environmental challenge for the textile industry is associated with liquid waste, which tends to dominate over air emissions and solid wastes in terms of severity of environmental impacts.