Implementation Study of ISO 14001- EMS Standards in Processing Unit of Nimra Textiles

Textile sector is often considered as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. It is the most important industrial sector in terms of export and involves human resource to a much greater extent. Apart from being one of the highest revenue generating sectors, it has several tribulations, one of them being the environmental pollution. Water, air and noise pollution and the solid waste generation are the main problems which turn out to be a serious health hazard for flora and fauna. Increasing global awareness about these environmental hazards has triggered international environment protection agencies and governments to impose stringent pollution regulations. International certification requirements for ISO 14001-EMS is also becoming essential dynamics of the global market. These standards are also implemented in Pakistan. If these standards are not followed precisely, the Pakistan textile products will start losing their competitive edge in the international markets. The purpose of this study is to develop better understanding of the textile processes, related environmental issues and the available techniques for controlling the environmental pollution and also to understand the components of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). To achieve this goal, I worked with NEC Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd team in one of their projects: Cleaner Technology Program for Textile Industry (CTPT). The processes of ISO 14001-EMS implementation in Nimra Textile (Pvt.) Ltd (NTL) was studied in detail with help of literature review, industrial survey and checklists. By these tools, it was found that most of the environmental aspects of NTL were exceeding the NEQs and company was willing to improve its environmental performance. That’s why the NTL takes services from NEC team as consultants. So, NEC team suggested them to implement ISO 14001-EMS standards in their company and provide guidance for its implementation