We are committed to achieving zero effluent discharge, by treating / recycling all the wastewater generated in our Units and by harvesting all rainwater incident on our properties
We are committed to achieving zero effluent discharge, by treating / recycling all the wastewater generated in our Units and by harvesting all rainwater incident on our properties. This endeavour not only reduces the freshwater intake, but also maximises ground water recharge and reduces the run off.
Many ITC Units have already achieved the goal of zero effluent discharge.
In 2009-2010, Cigarette factories at Bengaluru & Saharanpur, Leaf Processing Plants at Anaparti & Chirala, the Packaging & Printing unit at Tiruvottiyur, Research Centres at Bengaluru & Rajahmundry, the Paperboards Unit at Bollaram and ITC Green Centre at Gurgaon recycled all their treated effluents within the Units.
All ITC Units, across its diverse businesses, maintain internal norms for treated effluents that are more stringent than statutory limits, to maximise reuse and recycling.
In addition, we have commenced with the use of environment friendly DEWATS wastewater techniques that are chemical free and require negligible energy inputs, through the Center for Science & Environment, Auroville. These are currently installed at our SNPL Simra factory & housing colony in Nepal and in the new Cigarette factory at Pune.
Among the ITC businesses, the Paperboards and Specialty Papers business faces the most serious challenges in effluent quality and quantity. In 2009-2010, 97.4% of the total wastewater discharged in ITC was accounted for by the three paper & paperboard mills; Bhadrachalam, Tribeni and Kovai. The treated effluent quality is far better than the stipulated standards, as depicted below:
