Supplier Solutions - Output

ZDHC Approved Solution Providers act as wastewater sampling and testing laboratories. Their role is to conduct wastewater and sludge sampling, testing and reporting in line with ZDHC Suppliers Roadmap to Zero - Output requirements.

This Focus Area provides a comprehensive framework for ZDHC Approved Wastewater and Sludge Laboratories, including clear instructions for samplers to carry out wastewater and sludge sampling, analysis and reporting. The Focus Area includes key details such as sampling procedures and information that must be included in test reports. 

Chapters

In scope

ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines are applied to discharged industrial wastewater and sludge produced from wastewater treatment operations of textile, apparel, leather and footwear suppliers with wet processing facilities. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Dyeing and finishing of fibres, yarns, threads, fabrics, garments, textile trims and laces
• Fabric mills 
• Laundry, washing and finishing facilities 
• Printing facilities
• Raw wool scouring
• Vertical finished goods manufacturing facilities where any wet processes occur 
• Synthetic materials (synthetic fibres or textile-polymer composite microfibres) coated with PU, PVC or similar polymers that hold the appearance of leather but are not made from animal skin or hide. 
• With reference to leather:
  • Raw materials include: hides from animal origin
  • Facility type tanning process includes: 
    • Beamhouse and tanning: including soaking, liming, removal of extraneous tissues, unhairing and fleshing, deliming, bating, pickling, pre-tanning, etc.
    • Wet-end, crusting and/or finishing: such as washing, degreasing, re-tanning, dyeing, fat liquoring, oiling, coating etc.
• Any supplier who discharges to CETP is deemed an indirect supplier and should test against three guidelines. 

Out of scope 

The ZDHC Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines do not currently apply to wastewater discharge from suppliers including, but not limited to: 

• Accessories or trim manufacturers e.g. zips, buttons (plastic metal, glass, shells etc..) and galvanising processes.
• Cotton farming
• Cattle ranching
• Polymer production 
• Production of chemicals or mixing of chemical formulations for commercial sale In addition, the Wastewater and Sludge Guidelines do not currently apply to:
  • Discharge of domestic wastewater only. Such as: 
    • From a sewing/garmenting (e.g. staking) facility that employs workers but has no in-house wet processing unit. 
    • Domestic wastewater that is not blended with industrial wastewater. 
• Wastewater management and treatment systems beyond the property boundaries of the supplier. This includes any third-party, off-site, centralised or common effluent treatment plants (CETP) that are not under the direct control and/or ownership of the supplier. 
  • CETPs can choose to monitor their performance against these guidelines. 
• With reference to leather: 
  • Slaughterhouses
  • Leather facilities with only mechanical processes/phases e.g. only embossing, polishing, stalking or dry milling.