Sri Lanka’s top garment exporter recycles water

Brandix, a giant in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka strives to maintain standards in its journey to the top. Companies within the Brandix group keep adapting their practices to comply with as many best practices and standards stipulated by their partners who are players in the international arena and who follow world class best practices.

Brandix Finishing, a key player in the Group, traces a history from humble roots. The plant, which started off as a basic wash plant is now a world leader in washing, dyeing and finishing. The processes undertaken by this plant, at its two facilities in Ratmalana and Avissawella are stonewashing, washes encompassing enzyme and rubberball washes and also finishes including the likes of tinting, tie and dye and special finishes such as sandblasting.

A result of these services is that huge volumes of water are being used, and contaminated, in the process. Brandix Finishing consumes about 1200 million litres a day and after the processes described above are finished, using large amounts of dyes and chemicals, the water is not fit for release into local water bodies.

Understanding the need to be environmentally friendly in their approach, the company has invested heavily in a Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The water, which is contaminated with particulate matter as well as dissolved chemicals, is treated through solid treatment, biological treatment and chemical treatment. The treated water is then released into the Lunawa lagoon. “The water that is treated and discharged is well within the standard quality requirements of the Central Environmental Authority, which is in-line with international standards,” Hilary Thiagarajah, Manager – Environment Research Engineering, was quick to say. As a BOI company, Brandix adheres to the BOI Environmental Norm which gives separate instructions for the wet processing sector of the textile industry.

Brandix Washing uses a 3 tier process to purify the water they use in their industrial processes Thiagarajah said, explaining that the water is first given physical treatment to remove all ‘particulate’ matter and then given biological treatment to rid the water of all dyes and other chemicals. This is done by inoculating microbes into the water and the microbes convert the inorganic matter to a bio-degradable sludge which is then removed from the water. The final stage of purification is by chemicals where the water is “polished” to take away any discolouration. 10% - 20% of the recycled water is absorbed back into the plant for its own use, he said.

Brandix Finishing, which won the Silver Award for the Medium Sector at the CIMA/Business Club Community Leaders Awards 2005 is also the first Sri Lankan company to acquire the “Deep Green Light” status, awarded by Gap 2005 Global Water Programme for meeting global water quality requirements. The commitment of Brandix Finishing to minimise the harmful impact on the environment is thus evident, points out Manager, Corporate Communications of Brandix Lanka, Kishani De Silva. The company is also in the process of installing a Reverse Osmosis Plant which can increase the capacity of recycled water from 15% to 65%.

As a CSR project, Brandix also shares its knowledge of purifying water to help communities that are facing difficulties obtaining clean drinking water. In the Thambalaweva Tubewell project, they set up 3 new tube wells as the existing 7 wells were in disrepair or the water was not suitable for consumption.