A big leap towards wastewater treatment

Entrepreneur Ashish Kumar Chowdhury, proprietor of Ma Kali Dyeing in Chandangati village in Sirajganj, used to throw waste water from his factory into a canal.

"I knew it caused environmental pollution," he told The Business Standard.

"But now the wastewater from the factory is treated and can be used again. The excess water that I used to throw away is now being recycled as well."

Wastewater from the factory now undergoes a multistep treatment process through a mini ETP, producing fresh water that is again used for yarn dyeing.

Establishing an ETP, or effluent treatment plant, was a very expensive idea for entrepreneurs like Ashish in Sirajgani's weaving factories – one of the leading handloom hubs in the country – before 2020, until they were offered plans of mini ETPs by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).

That year, the foundation initiated the Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP), funded by the World Bank, to establish small-sized ETPs at small factories in Sirajganj to treat wastewater generated from these factories, ensuring environmental safety and reducing health risks of workers.

Mini ETPs have since been installed at four factories in Belkuchi and Tamai areas of the district, under two sub-projects being implemented under the National Development Programme, an associate organisation of the PKSF. The project is expected to be completed this month.

An ETP is a plant where wastewater is treated and the quality of treated water is controlled as per national and international regulations. Industries that emit wastewater from production processes such as textiles, dyeing, printing, washing, and chemical industries.

Two of the ETPs in Belkuchi and Tamai have already started operation, providing dyeing facilities to 200 entrepreneurs, with a capacity of treating around 10,000 litres of liquid waste daily.

This has inspired other entrepreneurs in the area to set up such ETPs in their factories.

Ashish said he was given a grant of Tk7 lakh under the SEP project, and he has taken Tk19 lakh as a bank loan. A total of Tk26 lakh has been spent on starting the mini ETP at his factory. It started operation four months ago.

"Now there is no harm to the environment. I am not getting any complaints from the Department of Environment. I do not want my business to harm the environment," he added.

Ma Kali Dyeing has the capacity to dye 9,000 pounds of yarn a week. At present, it dyes an average of 5,000 pounds of yarn each week.

Md Ashrafuzzaman, manager of the weaving project under the National Development Programme of SEP, told TBS that they have designed the ETPs with a capacity of 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 litres per day. The mini ETPs have been set up in four factories in Sirajganj, considering the needs and capabilities of the entrepreneurs.

He said initiatives under the project such as branding of products and obtaining business and environmental certification have been undertaken.

According to the PKSF, there are around 275 small and big dyeing and processing mills in the Tamai and Belkuchi areas of Sirajganj. Each mill generates an average of 1,000 litres of liquid waste every day, sending those without any kind of treatment to nearby rivers, canals and artificial reservoirs near the factories, affecting the local environment and causing health hazards.

Md Abdul Gafur, assistant director of Sirajganj district Department of Environment, told TBS, "We are regularly counselling the factory owners to increase the use of ETP in the entire district. We sat with around 40 entrepreneurs, and have also penalised five companies who were polluting the environment.

"We want ETPs to be installed in all factories. No establishment will be allowed to pollute the environment. We are strict in this regard."

Under the SEP project funded by the World Bank, mini ETPs are also being established at the Jamdani Palli of Narayanganj BSCIC industrial estate. Sheva Nari O Shishu Kallyan Kendra, an associate organisation of the PKSF, is implementing the project. An ETP has meanwhile been activated, treating 5,000 litre of liquid waste daily, and providing services to as many as 600 entrepreneurs involved in dyeing.

Construction of mini-ETPs will prevent environmental pollution of the industrial areas and reduce the health risk of workers, said PKSF officials.

The foundation's Additional Managing Director, Md Fazlul Kader told TBS that they are working with small entrepreneurs, as well as for cluster development. 

"We want entrepreneurs to produce quality products so that they can make a profit. We are working to strengthen the circular economy and want to turn waste into resources so that sustainability is maintained in production," he said.

The foundation has come up with a business solution to commercialise mini ETP establishment. In Sirajganj, the foundation first gave loans under technical support to entrepreneurs, and also trained them, according to Fazlul.

"We are hoping to set up mini ETPs where there are clusters. It is a business solution, even if the project is completed, this work will continue throughout the country," he added.

Establishment, operational costs of mini ETP

Mini ETPs are designed to treat 3000 litres, 5000 litres and 10,000 litres of liquid per day, depending on the needs and capacity of the small factories at entrepreneur level. Installation of an ETP of 3,000 litre capacity is Tk7 lakh, 5000 litre Tk12 lakh, and 10,000 litre Tk18 lakh.

Operational costs of a 3,000-litre capacity ETP is Tk5,900 per month, 5,000-litre capacity ETP Tk9,400, and a 10,000-litre capacity ETP Tk15,800.