What Is Needed to Treat Textile Waste

The main environmental issues raised by the textile industry's activities primarily concern water discharges, air emissions, and energy consumption. Of these, water is the primary concern. Indeed, the textile finishing industry consumes water in enormous quantities. Water is the primary medium used to remove impurities, apply dyes and auxiliary agents for dyeing or finishing, and generate steam. With the exception of a small amount of water that evaporates during drying, most of the water used is discharged as wastewater. Consequently, the volume of discharged water and the chemical load it carries pose a major problem. The color of textile effluents is also a pressing concern, especially with the new ranges of dyes now on the market. Given their complex structures and chemical persistence in the face of most degradation factors, the treatment of textile effluents can no longer rely on traditional methods.