No Waste Tanneries

Indian Scientists Have Developed a Technology in Leather Processing that May Put an End to the Pollution Caused by Effluents Discharged from Tanneries

Indian scientists have developed a technology in leather processing that may put an end to the pollution caused by effluents discharged from tanneries. The dry tanning technology invented by scientists at Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) here uses a biodegradable compound instead of water.

Along with the compound, which was developed in the CLRI lab, a tanning agent (chromium sulphate) is used. The process leaves no effluents as both the compound and the tanning agent are absorbed by the leather. Scientists claim the new technology saves about 40 per cent of the processing time, and the amount of tanning agent required is half of what is used in the conventional process.

At present, tanneries in the country use about 15 million litres of water everyday (five to eight litres for a kilo of skin) during the tanning process. Besides, up to 100g of chromium sulphate per kg of skin is used along with water. This apart, a large amount of salt and acid are used in pickling, a conditioning process prior to tanning. The salt, water, unutilized acid and tanning agent are later discharged as effluents. For every kg of leather, roughly 40 litres of effluent is produced, say experts. The tannery effluent, with its high level of salinity, has been a major pollutant of groundwater. The new technology not only does away with the use of water, but also with the pickling process, scientists said.

Source: The Times of India

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• Sludge Separation
• Technology
• Pollution