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'Wastewater Toolbox' Helps Manufacturers With Sustainability

FILE (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

A new digital tool is helping the global textile industry improve its wastewater footprint, and North Carolina played an important role in its creation.

It's called the Wastewater 101 Toolbox, and it was created by The Sustainability Consortium along with partners at Hanes Brands, Cotton Inc., and NC State University.

The online resource was made to help educate those in the textile industry about using less water and treating wastewater that may include harmful chemicals produced from the manufacturing process.

Karen Leonas with NC State says many products today are created outside of the U.S. and therefore aren't regulated by an organization such as the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The way the toolkit is designed is that even if you're not a wastewater treatment operator or in a plant, you can actually go in as a designer or somebody sourcing and put in information to learn about the decision you're making down the road,” she says.

Leonas adds that one of the most important times to address sustainability is during the design phase when about 80 percent of decisions are made.   

Bethany joined the staff of WFDD in the fall of 2012. She received her B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from Wake Forest University and focused on Anglo-Irish writing. Between undergraduate studies and graduate school, Bethany served as the intern to Talk of the Nation at NPR in D.C., participating in live NPR Election Night Coverage, Presidential debate broadcasts, regular Talk of the Nation shows, and helping to plan the inaugural broadcast of ‘Talk of the World.' She enjoys engaging with her interests in books, politics, and art in the interdisciplinary world of public radio. Before becoming Assistant News Director, Bethany was a reporter and Associate Producer for WFDD's Triad Arts and Triad Arts Weekend. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Bethany enjoys calling the Piedmont home.

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