The ZDHC MMCF Guidelines V2.1 mandates wastewater testing at a MMCF manufacturing facility twice a year - before 30^th April and before 31^st October (every year). There should be at least a three month gap between the two testing cycles. The wastewater test reports for the two cycles must be uploaded to the supplier’s ZDHC Gateway account by the ZDHC Approved Laboratory completing the sampling and testing.

The sampling, testing and reporting for MMCF wastewater must be done by a ZDHC Approved Laboratory. The approval of MMCF WW testing labs is ongoing and the list is updated weekly through our website.

The general principles for sampling and reporting of the ZDHC MMCF Wastewater Guidelines V2.1 document are directly linked to the latest published version of the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines V2.1. For sampling, refer to ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines V2.1. Testing must be conducted for the parameters mentioned in MMCF Wastewater Guidelines V2.1 based on the wastewater discharge type (direct/ indirect/ ZLD)

No, only viscose staple fibre (VSF) and modal facilities continue their Wastewater testing as per MMCF V1.0 and report for the April 2023 cycle through existing test labs which are approved for MMCF V1.0. Within the October 2023 cycle, all VSF / Modal facilities are expected to test their wastewater based on MMCF guideline V2.1

The other MMCF types in the expanded scope will need to start testing as per MMCF V2.1 from the October 2023 reporting cycle.

The steps for the MMCF wastewater lab approval process are;

Step 1-   Before a lab applies for MMCF V2.1, they must be approved for the ZDHC Wastewater V2.1.

Step 2 -  The lab has to apply for two additional parameters; wastewater (hydrocarbons and carbon disulphide (CS₂)) which are specific to MMCF V2.1 and the two parameters for sludge ((EOX) extractable organic halogen, (TOC) Total Organic Carbon ). 

Please refer to the KB article for details on ZDHC MMCF Approved Wastewater Laboratories - Application Criteria

Link: ZDHC MMCF Approved Wastewater Laboratories - Application Criteria

Note: Sludge testing is not mandatory for MMCF V2.1 approval, Therefore if the lab does not have a sludge testing facility they can still get approval for MMCF V2.1.

Although ZDHC has published an update to sludge testing and disposal requirements in the ZDHC WWG V2.1, the testing of sludge for MMCF is continued as given in the MMCF V1.0. Further discussions will be done with MMCF Task Team to align the sludge testing and disposal requirements for MMCF manufacturers with those outlined in the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines V2.1 – Tables 4A-4C in the next update to the MMCF Guidelines.

The conformance criteria for wastewater discharge for MMCF facilities is based on achievements of the limits for different discharge types. (Whether MMCF facilities have direct, indirect discharge or ZLD)

• Direct discharge facilities: Should achieve the foundational limit in the sample of discharged wastewater (Conventional, additional & specific parameters mentioned under Appendix A, Table 1.A, 1.B & 1.C) and the APEO limits for the sample of raw wastewater.

• Indirect discharge facilities: [that discharge indirectly to a central effluent treatment plant (CETP)]: should meet the norms of the CETP and achieve at least foundational limits for cadmium, chromium [VI], lead, mercury for wastewater and APEO limit values in raw wastewater mentioned in Appendix A Table 1.B

• ZLD facilities: Should meet the APEOs and summation of hydrocarbons limits in untreated (raw) wastewater mentioned in Appendix A Table 1.B