Case study on sustainability of textile wastewater treatment plant based on lifecycle assessment approach

The present study is aimed at the estimation of the environmental footprints of a textile effluent treatment plant in India based on Lifecycle analysis (LCA) thinking of gate-to-gate approach with closed-loop recycling. The real-time operational data were collected on a daily basis for a year with minimum experimental uncertainties and treated as lifecycle inventory. Based on existing plant practice, two-fold functional units of 1,500 m3 (effluent stream 1) and 1,200 m3 (effluent stream 2) were considered for the study, and the system boundary was designed. The analysis demonstrated that the ozonation process contributes significantly in generating environmental burden, with a global warming potential of 1,440 kg and 2,041 kg CO2 equivalent for effluent stream 1 and 2, respectively. Conversely, activated carbon filter imparts less to the environmental burden, with a global warming potential of 217 kg and 173.5 kg CO2 equivalent for effluent stream 1 and 2, respectively, compared to other processes. Based on the parametric analysis, it was understood that electricity contributed substantially; and thus sensitivity/scenario analysis was carried out, showing 50% and 90% attenuation of environmental burden with increased renewable energy share from 50% to 100%. Increase in effluent reuse scenario also found to have augmented the environmental performance of the system. Based on the data presented in this study, policy-makers can decide strategies to reduce the environmental burden of textile industry effluent.