ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has urged the country's textile industry to implement a raft of new, sustainable water management practices.
Azmat Naz, deputy director at the EPA, told local finance journal WealthPK that there were significant concerns regarding the industry's environmental impact and that unsustainable practices such as excessive water consumption, the release of untreated wastewater into water bodies, and the use of hazardous chemicals, all posed significant risks to human health and aquatic ecosystems.
“Addressing these challenges is crucial for ensuring long-term sustainability of the textile industry,” Azmat told WealthPK, insisting that urgent action was required to implement sustainable water management practices.
These could include, she said, the implementation of stringent wastewater treatment standards and monitoring systems, which would help ensure compliance with environmental regulations and reduce the ecological impact of Pakistan's vital textile industry.
A recent report from industry body, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), backed the pleas for improved water management practices, highlighting the need for a regulatory agency to oversee and control industrial water usage and waste discharge.
The report called for authorities to be granted sufficient powers to enforce penalties in case of non-compliance with pollution regulations.
