Mobile lab to help reduce pollution in city RMG factories

Consumers in Europe care about environmental conditions

block
Economic Reporter :
A mobile testing laboratory for waste water and sludge generated by effluent treatment plants in the readymade garments (RMG) factories was inaugurated in the city on Monday, aiming to help reduce pollution.
The laboratory is equipped with sampling and measuring instruments and accessories and offers on-the-spot testing and sampling services for washing, dyeing and finishing plants in the RMG sector.
During the inauguration of the mobile testing laboratory, the keys to the vehicle were handed over to Bratin Roy, Vice President, TÜV SÜD Bangladesh by the Deputy Head of the Embassy of Germany in Dhaka, Dr Ferdinand von Weyhe.
TÜV SÜD Bangladesh is wholly owned subsidiary of the TÜV SÜD Group, a leading certification, testing, auditing, inspection and training organisation.
Md Muslehuddin, Deputy Chief – Planning, Ministry of Commerce, factory owners and representatives from garments buyers and service providers were present.
Dr von Weyhe said consumers in Europe ‘do care about the environmental conditions’ under which RMG is produced in Bangladesh.
With the help of this testing van waste water can be controlled, thus providing a scientific basis to further improve water quality. “Investment in environment can pay off. By the way, I’m looking forward to that day, when children can swim in clean water – next to a RMG factory,” Weyhe said.
Dr Jochen Weikert, Programme Coordinator, GIZ said some of the smaller garment factories may have effluent treatment plants in operation, but they lack the instruments they need in order to constantly control the treated water.
“With this mobile testing service, we specifically serve the smaller and medium-sized factories so that they can make sure their wastewater does not pollute the environment. Thus, the mobile laboratory is one step more towards a sustainable garment industry in Bangladesh, from which businesses, environment and people will benefit.”
With its technician and waste water expert team, the mobile laboratory will enable clients to take advantage of quality services at an affordable price.
The testing facility provides on-site sampling, testing, calibration of factory meters and monitoring of environmental parameters, said a press release.
Using this information, factories can improve the effectiveness of their effluent treatment plants, which is required by the land of the law as well as customers. This international standard service is available to all the textile factories in Bangladesh.
The concept of the mobile testing laboratory was developed within the framework of a developpp.de project.
This Public Private Partnership developpp.de was set up by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to foster the involvement of the private sector at the point where business opportunities and development policy initiatives intersect.
It is implemented by Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry (PSES), a joint project of the governments of Bangladesh and Germany and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the BMZ.
The Department of Environment (DoE) will review the outcomes of the testing and the findings of the project because it provides the regulatory framework for waste water and sludge testing and disposal.
block