Actions
[E2-2, MDR-A 68a]
List of key actions
Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)
Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM)
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)
Sulfate and COD reduction
Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)
[MDR-A 68a, 68b]
The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) multi-stakeholder platform focuses on reducing wastewater, sludge, solid waste and air emissions across the textile industry through dedicated task teams and harmonized guidelines.
ZDHC viscose
Lenzing is fully committed to the Supplier to Zero roadmap of the multi-stakeholder ZDHC initiative and has adopted the MMCF guidelines since they were introduced. All Lenzing viscose sites (Lenzing (Austria), Purwakarta (Indonesia), Nanjing (China)) completed the Supplier to Zero Platform assessment and achieved an overall “aspirational” performance level. Further details and timelines can be found in the “ZDHC viscose” target.
ZDHC lyocell
Following the completion of wastewater testing at the Prachinburi (Thailand) and the Heiligenkreuz (Austria) sites in 2024, Lenzing also completed testing in accordance with the updated ZDHC laboratory guidelines at the Mobile (USA) site in 2025. With the commissioning of the newly built WWTP in Grimsby (UK) in the reporting year, the site is preparing to implement the ZDHC wastewater testing in 2026. More information is provided under the “ZDHC lyocell” target.
Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM)
[MDR-A 68a, 68b, 68c]
In 2025, Lenzing continued to perform the Higg FEM self-assessments and third-party verifications at all production sites. Higg FEM takes place on an annual basis. The tool supports the monitoring of pollutant emissions and substances of concern, reduces pollution-related risks and helps identify measures to enhance overall environmental performance.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)
[MDR- A 68a, 68b, 68c, 69]
Across the Lenzing Group, effluents are discharged in a controlled manner to prevent groundwater contamination. Process water is treated in biological WWTPs. In 2025, the newly built WWTP at the fiber site in Grimsby (UK) became fully operational. After initial start-up in 2024, biomass build-up and operational balancing were completed, enabling stable and efficient performance. COD and amine removal exceeded minimum requirements. The project has now moved into its second phase with further optimization underway to reach EU BAT limits in 2026. This strategic investment of EUR 24 mn, covering all project costs, represents a significant step in the site’s sustainability roadmap and supports the achievement of the ZDHC lyocell and wastewater targets. The upgrades of the WWTPs in Mobile (USA) and Purwakarta (Indonesia) are progressing successfully, with total investments of EUR 12 mn in Mobile (mainly in 2024) and EUR 26 mn in Purwakarta (mainly in 2023), including CapEx in 2025. The CapEx for these projects are part of the total CapEx, which can be found in the segment report of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Further, the Grimsby (UK) project is also mentioned in the “Investments” section of the Management Report.
A further improvement project was completed at the fiber production site in Nanjing (China) in the reporting year. Enhanced wastewater degassing led to a substantial reduction of sulfur emissions to water, thereby lowering carbon disulfide loads in the effluent.
Sulfate and COD reduction
[MDR-A 68a, 68b, 68c]
Lenzing’s plant in Purwakarta (Indonesia) upgraded its WWTP. Construction was concluded in 2023 and it has been fully operational since early 2024, significantly reducing wastewater emissions (COD and sulfate). In 2025, the site continued to optimize the WWTP to further reduce COD levels. Through improved monitoring of sulfate in wastewater and enhanced recovery of sodium sulfate, specific sulfate emissions were also reduced.
An extraction agent purification plant, with a CapEx of EUR 5 mn, was completed in Lenzing (Austria) in 2025. The plant will contribute to significant COD savings in the future. The CapEx for the plant are part of the total CapEx, which can be found in the segment report of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
There is no action regarding the “Potential negative impact of Lenzing’s downstream textile value chain on water pollution”. Lenzing has been prioritizing and working on key topics in a step-wise manner.