Implementation of Sustainable Practices in TextileProcessing Mills of Lahore, Pakistan

This project study assesses the effectiveness of sustainable practices for minimizing water use, energy conservation and wastewater pollution reduction in 21 textile processing units of Lahore, Pakistan that volunteered and participated in the project study. Detailed assessment audits were conducted to identify the hotspot inefficient areas in terms of water, energy and wastewater. After that, the most feasible best techniques for cleaner production were deciphered through a multi-criteria decision-making process. A total of 45 techniques were listed. Each suggested option was discussed thoroughly with the management of the mills in order to determine their economic viability and techno-applicability. Business case scenarios were built with investment options and payback times for all techniques. Each mill chose the practices most suitable to them and implemented the selected best water management practices and cleaner production techniques with the help of the project team, which conducted regular audits of all mills in order to assess the implementation process and to determine improvements caused by sustainable practice. It was observed that approximately 67% of selected industries achieved a 10-30% reduction in wastewater pollution. All mills achieved a water consumption reduction ranging 1-19.5%. Furthermore, 80% of industries also achieved an improvement in their energy efficiency ranging 0.2-60 MJ x 10 6 /Year.