Textile industries in Ethiopia were urged to enhance environmental protection in their treatment of effluents by the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute.
The textile industry is a significant source of green house gases and all stakeholders in the sector need to put in place mechanisms to prevent environmental pollution noted Sileshi Lemma, Director General of the Institute at an awareness raising workshop held this week.
Textile manufacturers need to use renewable sources of energy instead of fossil fuels towards limiting the impact on the environment said Amha Bekele, Research Laboratory Director with the ETIDI.
Many textile factories do not operate according to the proclamation on Environmental Pollution Control No. 300/2002 and Solid Waste Management No. 513/2007 he said.For example many factories release waste into Akkai River instead of putting in place the appropriate effluent disposal mechanisms according to Amha.
Installing waste treatment plants is an important element in building a green economy explained Amha Tegene, Senior Environmental Testing Expert with the Institute.
The workshop was intended to raise the awareness of the textile sector and to promote social responsibility. It was attended by private and state owned textile factories, members of parliament and invited guests.
In related news four apparel and textile producers in Ethiopia are to wrap a 10 million US dollar deal with a group of US buyers in the next few weeks according to a senior representative of USAID Compete.
The Ethiopian textile companies involved in the deal are AYKA Addis, Addis Garment, Maa Garment and Kombolcha Textile and Calvin Kline is expected to be one of the US companies involved.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
