Promoting industries while safeguarding environment
Monday, 15 December 2008
Tofayel A. Chowdhury
Bangladesh is a developing country. Like most other developing countries in Asia, industrialization here, is the single major indicator of development. With moderate to severe threat of strong competition from high-performing, developing countries like China and India, and formidable competition from developing countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, our industrial business people are performing excellent job at home and abroad in terms of both quality manufacturing and marketing.
The enormous amount of employment generated at the textile and garments sector in Bangladesh has not only retained but also improved the socio-cultural environment. Moreover, employment in this sector has created foundation for women empowerment by bringing them in productive income segment -- which could not be done through several years of other activities, including politics. General notion toward business people in our country is not very respectful. In whichever way any other person or organization addresses these business people, I salute them unconditionally for what they have been silently doing for the country.
Having said so, we can clearly mention that Bangladesh is one of the countries in South Asia where industrialization is growing faster. Industrialization is an inevitable necessity of the country. Among all the industries, textile, garments and allied industries are growing faster than others. The way industrialization is an indicator of development, in the same way environment pollution due to industrial waste is an inevitable outcome. In particular, waste water from textile mills and wet processing textile industries is a major source of pollutant in surface water bodies, canals, rivers and in agricultural wet-lands. For the people who depend on these natural water-bodies and earn livelihood from the agricultural lands are worst affected, due to such industrial pollutants. It is, therefore, imperative that with industrial development we also safeguard the environment and ensure appropriate measure for pollution control.
What do we mean by the term "environment pollution", in the context of textile and wet process industries? In terms of macro classification pollutants are solid (pollute land, air and water bodies), liquid (pollute land and water bodies) and gaseous (pollute the air we inhale). In terms of micro-level classification pollutants are largely categorized as: high BOD pollutants and high COD pollutants. In our sub-continent maximum permissible BOD and COD are less that 30mg/L and less than 250 mg/L respectively. Generally the waste water generated in a textile wet process industry contain over 600mg/L and 1200mg/L BOD and COD respectively. This is much above environmental injury level.
High BOD causes rapid depletion of oxygen and damages the aquatic environment. High COD is toxic to biological life. Therefore, before releasing the waste (effluent) water into the surface (in open water bodies, nature), the water must be sufficiently treated to bring down the BOD and COD below environmental injury level. In industries, this function is carried out at the ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant). Most of our export oriented textile industries have their own ETP. Very few of the local wet process mills have ETP.
For economic emancipation of the country, there is no alternative to industrialization. Environment pollution and industrialisation process will have to be simultaneously carried through. In order to protect environment, all wet process textile industries must have own ETP or they must have borrow-ability of ETP service from a nearby facility. To have own ETP or to have a borrow-able ETP service is important. But it is more important to ensure that ETP is religiously used for reduction of BOD and COD below environment injury level.
Though regretful, it is a fact that due to substantial recurring expense in running an ETP, many industries do not properly use it. The ETP functions can be run by fully chemical method and partly by chemical, and partly biological method. The most effective and economic way is to use a combination of chemical and biological method by applying appropriate biotechnology. Due to continuous consumption of substantial expensive chemicals, fully chemical based ETP is bound to be functionally expensive. Wherever possible if biotechnology is employed, the treatment can be faster, less time consuming, more effective and economically viable at the ultimate evaluation. Chemically-run ETP does the job but also adds chemical load into the environment. Biological method does not add chemical load, rather it adds congenial, biodegradable media for further benefit of the environment.
An investor will run an activity only when the operation is cost effective and rewarding simultaneously. In establishing and running an ETP, the entrepreneur must be convinced fully that the operation is cost effective and useful. It is possible to employ and manipulate biological methods to minimize time for reduction of BOD and COD. This will enable a comparable ETP to handle a substantially larger quantity of waste water in a relatively shorter period. Such an option will enable to motivate and encourage the entrepreneurs to establish and use ETP ideally. This will be efficient in terms of time, money and usefulness.
For any investor, a logical investment is one which makes or saves money. Having an ETP is important but to use it to its best potential is more important. If an investor is not fully convinced of the benefit of, and cost effectiveness, in ETP, he is unlikely to use it properly. This is a reality. In our country there are many industries that have excellent ETP units. It is also known that all ETPs do not run on a regular basis nor they run to their proper potential. If an ETP function is relatively less expensive, or the benefits are more rewarding, people will establish ETP and run it spontaneously, otherwise not! You can pull the horse to a pond but you can't force him to drink.
Besides, due to continuous industrial expansion programmes, installation of more ETP or capacity-enhancement thereof has turned into a burning urgency for many knit, composite and denim processing/washing industries. Recent developments in biotechnology have established methods where the treatment time in ETP can be brought down by 50% to 60%. If ideally run, in an existing ETP, manipulation of methods by incorporating bacterial inoculation can enable us to double the ETP efficiency at 50% reduction for time at reaction. For 60% reduction in exposure time at ETP, it can be 120% more efficient. Following example will give a more complete idea.
By controlling pH, temperature and other micro-environment at ETP, population of special strain of E.coli bacteria can be doubled in every 30 minutes: a count of one million bacteria can be increased to sixteen millions in just two hours. This single manipulation can alone increase the colour removal efficiency of an ETP by 16 times, without additional chemicals. Colour removal is most time-consuming and expensive function at ETP. Incorporation of this biotechnology alone can bring down the cost of running ETP to an amazingly low level!
There are many such options within the horizon of biotechnology. If the owners of industries can be convinced of this fact, 50% job will be done towards industrial pollution control. It is the will and motivation that can bring about the change in pollution control at industries.
The writer may be reached at email: resonancechemicals@yahoo.com
Bangladesh is a developing country. Like most other developing countries in Asia, industrialization here, is the single major indicator of development. With moderate to severe threat of strong competition from high-performing, developing countries like China and India, and formidable competition from developing countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, our industrial business people are performing excellent job at home and abroad in terms of both quality manufacturing and marketing.
The enormous amount of employment generated at the textile and garments sector in Bangladesh has not only retained but also improved the socio-cultural environment. Moreover, employment in this sector has created foundation for women empowerment by bringing them in productive income segment -- which could not be done through several years of other activities, including politics. General notion toward business people in our country is not very respectful. In whichever way any other person or organization addresses these business people, I salute them unconditionally for what they have been silently doing for the country.
Having said so, we can clearly mention that Bangladesh is one of the countries in South Asia where industrialization is growing faster. Industrialization is an inevitable necessity of the country. Among all the industries, textile, garments and allied industries are growing faster than others. The way industrialization is an indicator of development, in the same way environment pollution due to industrial waste is an inevitable outcome. In particular, waste water from textile mills and wet processing textile industries is a major source of pollutant in surface water bodies, canals, rivers and in agricultural wet-lands. For the people who depend on these natural water-bodies and earn livelihood from the agricultural lands are worst affected, due to such industrial pollutants. It is, therefore, imperative that with industrial development we also safeguard the environment and ensure appropriate measure for pollution control.
What do we mean by the term "environment pollution", in the context of textile and wet process industries? In terms of macro classification pollutants are solid (pollute land, air and water bodies), liquid (pollute land and water bodies) and gaseous (pollute the air we inhale). In terms of micro-level classification pollutants are largely categorized as: high BOD pollutants and high COD pollutants. In our sub-continent maximum permissible BOD and COD are less that 30mg/L and less than 250 mg/L respectively. Generally the waste water generated in a textile wet process industry contain over 600mg/L and 1200mg/L BOD and COD respectively. This is much above environmental injury level.
High BOD causes rapid depletion of oxygen and damages the aquatic environment. High COD is toxic to biological life. Therefore, before releasing the waste (effluent) water into the surface (in open water bodies, nature), the water must be sufficiently treated to bring down the BOD and COD below environmental injury level. In industries, this function is carried out at the ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant). Most of our export oriented textile industries have their own ETP. Very few of the local wet process mills have ETP.
For economic emancipation of the country, there is no alternative to industrialization. Environment pollution and industrialisation process will have to be simultaneously carried through. In order to protect environment, all wet process textile industries must have own ETP or they must have borrow-ability of ETP service from a nearby facility. To have own ETP or to have a borrow-able ETP service is important. But it is more important to ensure that ETP is religiously used for reduction of BOD and COD below environment injury level.
Though regretful, it is a fact that due to substantial recurring expense in running an ETP, many industries do not properly use it. The ETP functions can be run by fully chemical method and partly by chemical, and partly biological method. The most effective and economic way is to use a combination of chemical and biological method by applying appropriate biotechnology. Due to continuous consumption of substantial expensive chemicals, fully chemical based ETP is bound to be functionally expensive. Wherever possible if biotechnology is employed, the treatment can be faster, less time consuming, more effective and economically viable at the ultimate evaluation. Chemically-run ETP does the job but also adds chemical load into the environment. Biological method does not add chemical load, rather it adds congenial, biodegradable media for further benefit of the environment.
An investor will run an activity only when the operation is cost effective and rewarding simultaneously. In establishing and running an ETP, the entrepreneur must be convinced fully that the operation is cost effective and useful. It is possible to employ and manipulate biological methods to minimize time for reduction of BOD and COD. This will enable a comparable ETP to handle a substantially larger quantity of waste water in a relatively shorter period. Such an option will enable to motivate and encourage the entrepreneurs to establish and use ETP ideally. This will be efficient in terms of time, money and usefulness.
For any investor, a logical investment is one which makes or saves money. Having an ETP is important but to use it to its best potential is more important. If an investor is not fully convinced of the benefit of, and cost effectiveness, in ETP, he is unlikely to use it properly. This is a reality. In our country there are many industries that have excellent ETP units. It is also known that all ETPs do not run on a regular basis nor they run to their proper potential. If an ETP function is relatively less expensive, or the benefits are more rewarding, people will establish ETP and run it spontaneously, otherwise not! You can pull the horse to a pond but you can't force him to drink.
Besides, due to continuous industrial expansion programmes, installation of more ETP or capacity-enhancement thereof has turned into a burning urgency for many knit, composite and denim processing/washing industries. Recent developments in biotechnology have established methods where the treatment time in ETP can be brought down by 50% to 60%. If ideally run, in an existing ETP, manipulation of methods by incorporating bacterial inoculation can enable us to double the ETP efficiency at 50% reduction for time at reaction. For 60% reduction in exposure time at ETP, it can be 120% more efficient. Following example will give a more complete idea.
By controlling pH, temperature and other micro-environment at ETP, population of special strain of E.coli bacteria can be doubled in every 30 minutes: a count of one million bacteria can be increased to sixteen millions in just two hours. This single manipulation can alone increase the colour removal efficiency of an ETP by 16 times, without additional chemicals. Colour removal is most time-consuming and expensive function at ETP. Incorporation of this biotechnology alone can bring down the cost of running ETP to an amazingly low level!
There are many such options within the horizon of biotechnology. If the owners of industries can be convinced of this fact, 50% job will be done towards industrial pollution control. It is the will and motivation that can bring about the change in pollution control at industries.
The writer may be reached at email: resonancechemicals@yahoo.com