Netherlands-based environment organisation Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) has today announced the release of the updated ZDHC Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) Guidelines Version 2.0, and its supporting document. By publishing these documents, ZDHC aims to continue to push the industry toward increasingly innovative and sustainable fibre production.

It is important to note that with this update, the ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0 now include the Responsible Fibre Production Guidelines, Wastewater Guidelines, and Air Emissions Guidelines as three separate chapters in a single document, according to a press release by ZDHC.

Netherlands-based environment organisation Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) has today announced the release of the updated ZDHC Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) Guidelines Version 2.0, and its supporting document. By publishing these documents, ZDHC aims to continue to push the industry toward increasingly sustainable fibre production.

Since expanding the scope of the organisation’s work to include fibre production with the release of the first ZDHC MMCF Guidelines in 2020, brands and manufacturing facilities producing MMCF have been able to take an aligned approach to emissions control. This includes the recovery of sulphur compounds as part of the inputs, as well as by-products generated during the production process.

“Lenzing group, as part of the ZDHC Foundation’s Roadmap to Zero Programme, has actively participated in the drafting and revision process of the ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0. The entire process was fact-based and transparent and serves as a good example of sector and supply chain cooperation. The increasingly ambitious targets of the revised ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0 showcase the steadfast commitment of the MMCF Suppliers toward improving the environmental performance of the industry at large,” said Zheng Luo, Lenzing Group.

Fibres are key components of production processes in the textile and fashion value chain, and it is crucial to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacture. ZDHC’s guidelines give suppliers producing MMCF unified criteria for measuring output indicators like wastewater, sludge, air emissions, and other process-related parameters.

“This is yet another achievement by ZDHC. Publishing the ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0 will help to achieve environmental stewardship and sustainable development pathways in a structured manner. We are glad to have been a part of this task team that enabled us to work with stakeholders across all sectors to arrive at a mutually acceptable global standard for the industry,” said C K Dutta, Birla Cellulose.

Among other changes, the update reflects the expansion of ZDHC’s scope to accommodate Viscose Filament Yarn, Lyocell, Cuprammonium Rayon (Cupro), and Cellulose Acetate (Acetate). The ZDHC Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) Guidelines V2.0 provide an aligned approach for included fibres, including defined chemical recovery, wastewater and sludge discharge, and air emission discharge.

ZDHC continues to advocate for the improvement of processes which minimise emissions while also working towards the recovery of input substances and by-products. These dual goals, reduction and recovery, directly address the negative impact of outputs arising from MMCF production, added the release.

“We are pleased to have contributed to the development of the MMCF Guidelines V2.0. In this revision, the scope of the guidelines has been expanded to cover different types of MMCF. Since the production process and chemicals used in MMCF are different, it is important to set appropriate standards for each type. We believe that this new guideline will allow the industry to choose from a wider variety of sustainable MMCF. We look forward to working with ZDHC to continue to explore innovative ways to produce sustainable MMCF,” said Hirokazu Ishii, Asahi Kasei Corp Bemberg Div.

Along with the ZDHC Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) Guidelines V2.0, ZDHC has also updated its ZDHC MMCF Guidelines Industry Standard Implementation Approach. The document aims to support the implementation process of the ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0, and features new implementation timelines that assist suppliers in setting their goals to achieve foundational, progressive, or aspirational levels on the supplier platform. For manufacturers and brands alike, these guidelines actively drive progress.

“We are very pleased to have been able to team up and collaborate with ZDHC to incorporate cellulose acetate into the ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.0. We are strongly committed to drive improvement in the textile industry’s chemical usage,” said Lacey Johnson, Eastman.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)