World Earth Day on April 22

In a world where 2.2 billion people have no access to clean drinking water, the Silhouette Group is working to make every drop count. As a complete manufacturer of premium eyewear from Austria, Silhouette has been recognized for its efforts, including earning certification under the European Union's Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). To date, it is the only eyewear company to hold such a distinction.

Treating water and wastewater with care
The Silhouette Group has dug three groundwater wells to use for irrigating the landscaping at its headquarters in Linz, Austria. This saves 400,000 gallons of drinking water each year. The topsoil has been restored to its natural state, so the water used for irrigation flows back into the water table. The company also closely monitors pollutants in wastewater from its production floor. The temperature, pH and volume of the wastewater are constantly monitored, as are its nickel, copper and chromium concentrations. It drains through a separate channel before entering the public sewage system. Any substances that might contaminate the local water supply are stored in secure containers.

Silhouette Group uses its own water treatment systems
The family-owned company only drains wastewater that meets the legal requirements for safety. Ten to twenty percent of the wastewater requires additional treatment before it can be safely discharged. To treat this water, the company operates two on-site water treatment systems. To increase sustainability even further, the production wastewater is filtered and reused multiple times. The Silhouette Group is also committed to fully capturing all microplastic generated during its lens production. This ensures that 0% of microplastic enters the local water supply. To reach this goal, the company uses a closed, state-of-the-art production cycle. All milling residue and shavings are collected and recycled.

Download: German PR-Text Water conservation

Download: English PR-Text Water conservation