LEARN
Understanding the problem is the first step towards a solution! Keep scrolling to educate yourself about the wastewater produced by the consumer goods industry and how it affects us all.
The database below will show you options for how to take action on wastewater treatment.
CLICK HERE to learn how to use the toolbox
The Waterfootprint Assessment: Setting the Global Standard
This is a book from 2011 that contains the global standard for ‘water footprint assessment’ as developed and maintained by the Water Footprint Network (WFN). It covers a comprehensive set of definitions and methods for water footprint accounting. It shows how water footprints are calculated for individual processes and products,as well as for consumers, nations, […]
The Higg Index
This is a website for The Higg Index, which is a suite of tools that enables brands, retailers, and facilities of all sizes — at every stage in their sustainability journey — to accurately measure and score a company or product’s sustainability performance. SOURCE: Sustainable Apparel Coalition
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Textile, Apparel, and Footwear Certification
This is a website for the company Intertek that provides innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection, and Certification services to customers worldwide. SOURCE: Intertek
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Textile Industry Wastewater Discharge Quality Standards
This is a document by the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) written in 2015 that contains a literature review of the textile industry wastewater discharge quality standards. The ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) is a group of apparel and footwear brands and retailers working together to lead the industry towards zero discharge of […]
Sustainable Wet Processing—An Alternative Source for Detoxifying Supply Chain in Textiles
This is a chapter in the book “Detox Fashion” written in 2018. This chapter discusses sustainable wet processing techniques and their environmental impacts in the textile industries. SOURCE: ResearchGate
stEp Factsheet
This is a document that explains the STeP Program. STeP stands for Sustainable Textile Production and is a certification system for environmentally friendly and socially responsible production facilities along the textile chain. SOURCE: OEKO-TEX
Special regulation of wastewater
This is a document in Spanish that outlines the terms of the 2000 Salvadorian special regulation on wastewater. SOURCE: EcoLex
South Africa Water Services Act 1997
This is a document from 1997 created by the Republic of South Africa that outlines the rights of access to basic water supply and basic sanitation and sets the national standards, norms, tariffs. SOURCE: UNESCO
Smart Water Grid Market Size Worth USD 10.27 Billion By 2025: Hexa Research
This is a news article that discusses the growth of the global smart water grid market. SOURCE: PR. Newswire
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Regulations on Water Quality, Control of Discharges and Protection Zones
This is a document in Spanish that outlines the terms of the 1987 Salvadorian regulation on water quality. SOURCE: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Regulation of the Minister of the Environment about Raw Wastewater Quality
This is an Indonesian law enacted in 2010 that regards the quality of the raw wastewater for businesses and/or oil, gas, and geothermal activities. SOURCE: Global Regulation
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Public Health Act, B.E. 2535
This is a Thai governmental document from 1992 that outlines the revisions to the law on public health and the law on the control of the use of fecal matter as fertilizer. SOURCE: Thai Laws
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What is wastewater?
Wastewater is any water that has been used by humans. In the consumer goods industry, it is the water used to produce products and often contains chemicals and dyes. This water should be treated before it returns to the watershed, but that is frequently not the case.
What is the Wastewater 101 Toolbox?
The Wastewater 101 Toolbox is where brands, retailers, manufacturers, designers, and even the public-at-large can access education, training, and resources related to facilitating and incentivizing the proper treatment of wastewater in the consumer goods industry.
Why isn’t wastewater treated?
There are many reasons wastewater may not be treated. One is that people simply don’t understand the problem. Another is that once they do understand, they do not have the knowledge and tools to address the problem. One big reason wastewater goes untreated is that manufacturers lack the support needed to do so. Treating wastewater is expensive, and with increasing pressure to lower costs, manufacturers must make tough decisions.
Who is The Sustainability Consortium?
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a global non-profit organization working to transform the consumer goods industry by partnering with leading companies to define, develop, and deliver more sustainable products.
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a
global organization leading the transformation
of the consumer goods industry to deliver more
sustainable consumer products. TSC convenes
diverse stakeholders and members to build
science-based decision tools and solutions that
address sustainability issues.