Tanning and Leather Finishing Related

Environmental Concerns

Submitted to: Dr Hanif

Industrial Chemistry 2
Submitted By: Breera Mehmood
Saima Arshad
Areej Riaz
MPhil Environmental Sciences
Dated: 26th February, 2010

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sr. CHAPTERS Pg no
No.
1. Introduction 3
2. Manufacturing Process 3
2.1 Hide and skin storage and beamhouse operations 3
2.2 Soaking 3
2.3 Liming 3
2.4 De-liming 4
2.5 Bating 4
2.6 Degreasing 4
2.7 Pickling 5
2.8 Pretanning 5
2.9 Chroming 5
2.10 Draining, samming and setting 5
2.11 Splitting 6
2.12 Shaving 6
2.14 Fatliquoring 7
2.15 Drying 7
2.16 Finishing 7
2.17 Measurement and Packing 8
2.18 Process Flow Diagram of a typical chrome Tannery 9
2.19 Mass Balance in Leather Processing 10
3. Waste Production from Tanneries and their 11
controls
3.1 Air Emissions 11
3.2 Process Liquid and Solid Wastes 12
3.2.1 Solid Waste in Tanneries and its key characteristics 13
3.2.2 Characteristics of wastewater discharged at each 14
manufacturing step in tannery
3.2.3 Pollution Levels in Tannery Effluents 14
3.3 Wastes produced at each step of manufacturing at tannery 15
4. Pakistan's Leather Industry 16
5. Environmental Management Plan for a typical tannery 17
6. Demolition Plan 19
6.1 Immediate Actions 19
6.2 Entire Site 19
7. Social Action Plan 21
8. References 23

1.Introduction
Tanning and leather finishing facilities generally convert raw hides and / or skins into leather, which is
then finished and used to manufacture a wide range of products. Tanning is the process used to
stabilizing the raw hide or skin into leather, a non-putrescible product. Tanning involves a complex

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combination of mechanical and chemical processes. The heart of the process is the tanning operation
itself in which organic or inorganic materials become chemically bound to the protein structure of the hide
and preserve it from deterioration. The substances generally used to accomplish the tanning process are
chromium or extracts from bark of trees, such as chestnut.

2. Manufacturing process:
Major steps of manufacturing process are described as under:

2.1 Hide and skin storage and beamhouse operations:

Raw hides and skins are typically procured from the hide and skin markets or directly from the abattoirs
(slaughterhouses), and delivered to the tanneries or fellmongeries (facilities that treat skins and hides,
principally sheep skins, before tanning). At the tannery / fellmongery, hides and skins are preliminarily
sorted, trimmed, cured (to prevent putrefaction), and stored.

Curing methods for long-term preservation (up to six months) include salting, brining, drying, or dry
salting. Short-term preservation (typically two to five days) involves cooling using crushed ice, or
refrigerated storage, in addition to use of biocides. Although curing is often conducted in the abattoir, the
process may be repeated in the tannery for longer and more efficient storage. Hides and skins are
generally stored on pallets in ventilated or air conditioned areas. From storage, the hides and skins are
taken to the beamhouse.

Processes typically carried out in the beamhouse of a tannery include:

2.2 Soaking:

Soaking allows hides and skins to reabsorb any lost water and to clean interfibrillary material. The soak
bath is often changed every 8 hours to prevent bacterial growth. Soaking additives include surfactants,
enzyme preparations, bactericides, and alkali products.

2.3 Liming:
Dehairing and liming of hides is undertaken to remove hair, interfibrillary components, and epidermis, and
to open up the fiber structure. These processes are carried out in vessels (e.g. drums, paddles [a vat with
a paddlewheel agitator], mixers, or pits). Dehairing involves the use of chemical and mechanical
treatment, with or without hair destruction. Elimination of keratinous material (e.g. hair, hair roots,
epidermis) and fats from the pelts involves the use of inorganic sulfides (NaHS or Na2S) and lime
treatment. Treatment with organic compounds such as mercaptans or sodium thioglycolate in
combination with strong alkali and amino compounds is an alternative to sulfide treatment. Enzymatic
preparations can be added to enhance dehairing and they are considered a cleaner technology when
compared with the conventional dehairing-liming process.

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2.4 De-liming:
Deliming involves the removal of residual lime from the pelts and preparing the pelts for bating. The
conventional process involves gradually lowering pH through washing and addition of deliming chemicals
( e.g. ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4], ammonium chloride [NH4Cl], sodium bisulfite [NaHSO3], among
others); an increase in temperature; and, finally, the removal of residual chemicals and degraded skin
components. Alternative processes include carbon dioxide (CO2) deliming, or the use of ammonium-free
deliming agents (e.g. weak acids or esters) which can totally or partially replace ammonium salts
used for conventional deliming. For thicker pelts, the float temperature is increased (up to 35°C), the
process duration is increased, and small amounts of deliming auxiliaries are added.
Generally, deliming is performed in processing vessels (e.g.drums, mixers, or paddles).

2.5 Bating:
Bating is a partial degradation of non-collagenic proteins, achieved by enzymatic preparations, which
improves the grain of the hide and the subsequent run and stretch of the leather.

2.6 Degreasing:

This is the elimination of excess grease from fatty skins. Three different methods commonly used for
degreasing include degreasing in aqueous medium with nonionic surfactant and degreasing agents;
degreasing in aqueous medium with organic solvents, nonionic surfactants, and degreasing agents; and
degreasing in an organic solvent medium.

Degreasing as done typically in Paksitan

2.7 Pickling:
Pickling is conducted to lower the pH of the pelt before mineral tanning and some organic tanning (e.g.
chrome tanning, gluterdialdehyde tanning, vegetable tanning, resins and synthetic tanning). Very often

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tanning is carried out in the pickle liquor. Pickled pelts can be traded and contain fungicides to protect
them from mold growth during storage. Pickling floats (the aqueous liquor in which the pickling process is
performed) are typically characterized by high salt concentrations, which can be reduced by using acids
that lessen the water uptake of the skins (e.g. non-swelling acids, typically aromatic sulfonic acids).

2.8 Pretanning:

In this process the physical and chemical characteristics of the leather is changed thereby, improving the
leather quality, particularly with regard to grain tightness, and chrome uptake, thus reducing the input of
chrome. Pretanning agents include aluminum salts, aluminum combined with polyacrylates,
glutaraldehyde derivatives, syntans, titanium oxide and salts, or colloidal silica.

2.9 Chroming:
Tanning allows stabilization of the collagen fiber through a cross-linking action. The tanned hides and
skins are tradable intermediate products (wet-blue). Tanning agents can be categorized in three main
groups namely mineral (chrome) tanning agents; vegetable tanning agents; and alternative tanning
agents (e.g. syntans, aldehydes, and oil tanning agents). About 90 percent of leathers are tanned with
salts of chromium (in its trivalent form), especially chromium (III) sulfate. The vegetable tanning process is
not an alternative to the chrome tanning process, as the two processes produce different
products. Vegetable tanning produces relatively dense, pale brown leather that tends to darken on
exposure to natural light. Vegetable tanning is frequently used to produce sole leather, belts, and other
leather goods. Unless specifically treated, however, vegetable tanned leathers have low hydrothermal
stability, limited water resistance, and are hydrophilic. Recovery of vegetable tanning floats is generally
conducted using ultrafiltration. Tanning with organic tanning agents, using polymers or condensed plant
polyphenols with aldehydic cross-linkers, can organic-tanned leather usually is more filled (e.g. leather
with interstices filled with a filler material) and hydrophilic than chrome-tanned leather. Semi-metal tanning
may also produce chrome-free leather, with equally high hydrothermal stability. This tanning
process is carried out with a combination of metal salts, preferably but not exclusively aluminum (III), and
a plant polyphenol containing pyrogallol groups, often in the form of hydrolysable tannins.

Drums used for liming, tanning and pickling purposes.

2.10 Draining, samming and setting:

After tanning, leathers are drained, rinsed, and either hung up to age or unloaded into boxes and
subsequently sammed to reduce the moisture content before further mechanical action. Setting (working
over the grain surface of wet leather to remove excess water, to eliminate wrinkles and granulations, to
give the leather a good pattern and to work out stresses so that the leather lies flat) may be carried out.

2.11 Splitting:
The function of the splitting operation is to cut through skins / hides or leathers at a set thickness. If the
hide / skin are sufficiently thick, splitting can yield a grain split and a flesh split that may both be

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processed into finished leather. Although splitting can be performed before tanning, after tanning, or after
drying, it is usually performed after tanning.

Splitting Machine
2.12 Shaving
Shaving is undertaken to achieve an even thickness throughout tanned or crusted leather. Shaving is
carried out when splitting is not possible or when minor adjustments to the thickness are required.

Pile of leather shavings

2.13 Dyeing:
Dyeing is performed to produce colors in hides / skins. Typical dyestuffs include water-based acid dyes.
Basic and reactive dyes are less commonly used. A wide range of dyestuff is available with different
characteristics and physico-chemical resistances (e.g. to light, PVC migration, sweat migration, among
others).

Dyeing Machines enclosed in a wall.

2.14 Fatliquoring:

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Fatliquoring is the process by which leathers are lubricated to achieve product-specific characteristics and
to reestablish the fat content lost in the previous procedures. The oils used may be of animal or vegetable
origin, or may be synthetic products based on mineral oils. Stuffing is an old technique used mainly for
heavier vegetable-tanned leather. Sammed leathers are treated in a drum with a mixture of molten fat.
The retanned, dyed, and fatliquored leathers are then acidified by formic acid for fixation and usually
washed before being aged to allow the fat to migrate from the surface to the inside of the pelt.

2. 15 Drying:
The objective of drying is to dry the leather while optimizing leather quality. Drying techniques include
samming, setting, centrifuging, hang drying, vacuum drying, toggle drying ( leather dried while held under
tension on frames using toggles), paste drying (drying method used for upper leather with corrected
grain), and over drying. Samming and setting are used to reduce the moisture content mechanically
before implementing another drying technique. After drying, the leather may be referred to as ‘crust’,
which is a tradable and storable intermediate product.

Leather hanged to dry them

2.16 Finishing:
Finishing operations enhance the appearance of the leather and provide the performance characteristics
expected in the finished leather with respect to color, gloss, feel, flex, and adhesion as well as other
properties including stretch-ability, break, light and perspiration fastness, water vapor permeability, and
water resistance. Finishing operations can be divided into mechanical finishing processes and surface
coat applications. A wide range of process exit for both types of finishing, including, but not limited to
polishing, and spray coating (spraying the finishing material with pressurized air in spray cabinets).

Finished texture on Leather

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 Flow diagram of finishing process
2.17 Measurement and Packing:
Finished leather is measured with computerized measuring machine and then packed for sale / marketing.
Packed Leather ready to be transported.

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 Raw Hide Finished Leather

2.18 Process Flow Diagram of a typical chrome Tannery

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2.19 Mass Balance in Leather Processing:

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3. Waste Production from Tanneries and their controls
Wastes associated with tanning and leather finishing include the following:
• Air Emissions
• Wastewater
• Solid waste
• Hazardous materials
• Odour
Leather tanneries in Pakistan produce all three categories of waste: wastewater, solid waste and air
emissions. However, wastewater is by far the most important environmental challenge being faced by
Pakistan's tanneries.

3.1 Air Emissions:

There are two sources of air pollution from tanneries. The first relates to emissions from generators
(diesel-based and operated only during power breakdowns) and from boilers. Ammonia emission during
processing and washing of drums, though intermittent but important, has adverse effects on workers
health. Hydrogen sulphide emission during mixing of acid and alkaline wastewater in drain is also a
serious health hazardous. Segregated discharge of acidic and alkaline effluent can help to avoid the
hydrogen sulphide gas emission. Typical pollutants (either solid or gaseous) from a tannery include
chlorine, formaldehyde, sulfuric acid, glycol ether EB, glycol ether PMA, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene,
xylol, phosphoric acid, methanol, manganese sulfate, chromium III, ethylene glycol, lead, copper, and
zinc.

Emissions of Pollutants Emission Rate Control Methods

Toxic Air kg/hr
Pollutants
From a Typical
Tannery
Emission Point

Solvent Receiving Methyl Ethyl 22.58 Incineration

Ketone 1.67 Process Modification
Methyl Isobutyl 10.04 (e.g., water-based
Ketone 1.17 process
Toluene instead of solvent-
Xylol based
process)

Mixing Vault Methyl Ethyl 0.52

Ketone

Supply Drum Methyl Ethyl 0.52

Ketone

Spray Chamber Diacetone Alcohol 1.89

Glycol Ether EB 11.85
Glycol Ether PMA 7.6
Methyl Ethyl 75.72
Ketone 59.05
Methyl Isobutyl 95.78
Ketone 33.38

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 Toluene
Xylol

Dryer Diacetone Alcohol 1.89

Glycol Ether EB 11.85
Glycol Ether PMA 7.6
Methyl Ethyl 75.72
Ketone 59.05
Methyl Isobutyl 95.78
Ketone 33.38
Toluene
Xylol

Receiving Recycled Acetone 0.61

Solvents Methyl Ethyl Ketone 0.98
Toluene 0.61

Cleaning Operation Less than 1 kg/hr of each pollutant

Waste Solvent Less than 1 kg/hr of each pollutant

Storage

Air emissions at each manufacturing step at tannery:

Process-step Air pollutants kg/ton raw hide

Unhairing/liming H2S
Deliming/Bating NH3
Finishing solvents, formaldehyde 25*
heating with gas CO 0.033*
CO2 190*
NO2 0.17*

3.2 Process Liquid and Solid Wastes:

Hair, offcuts, sludge are the main types of solid waste. Solids are usually disposed of to a landfill site.
Dewatered sludges from tanneries can also be disposed of to controlled landfills without significant
environmental problems being incurred. Tanning sludges should immediately be covered with inert
material to avoid odour generation and insect infestation.

Landfills which receive other industrial residues, particularly acidic wastes, may not be suitable for
receiving tannery wastes. Toxic hydrogen sulphide may be liberated and chromium maybecome soluble
and hence escape to groundwater via leachate seepage.

Tannery sludges of organic composition, if free of chrome and sulphides, can have some value as a soil
conditioner.

Waste should not be stored too long on site due to the nuisance effect of smells.

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Two types of solid wastes (tanned and untanned) are generated from leather production processes. Solid
waste include dusted curing salts, raw trimmings, wet trimmings, dry trimmings, wet shavings, dry
shavings, buffing, and packaging material. It is estimated that for a tannery averaging 10,000 kilograms of
skins per day, a total of some 5,500 kilograms of solid waste would be produced perday. Pieces of leather
(containing 10 to 50% moisture) in various stages of processing, and wastewater treatment sludges
constitute the bulk of the process solid waste from tanneries. In order to produce the quality products
required by leather consuming industries, tanneries trim off inferior portions of hides at many steps in
processing. Smaller pieces of leather wastes are produced in shaving and buffing operations.
Approximately 35% of all tannery solid waste is trimmings and shavings of various types. Another source
of tannery wastes is the finishing department. Finishes are sprayed or rolled onto leather and the residue
is considered to be a solid waste since it is land disposed. Finish residues are usually slurries containing
10 to 50% solids. Waste finishes account for about 2% of tannery solid waste. Wastewater treatment is
the single largest source of process solid waste. Almost all tanneries screen their wastewater. Direct
dischargers and some discharging wastewater into municipal sewers have some form of primary or
secondary treatment (only direct dischargers use secondary treatment). The screenings and sludges from
these operations contain lime, chromium compounds, pieces of leather, hair, and other protein-like
substances which are land disposed. Wastewater screenings and sludge account for about 60% of
tannery solid waste.
Floor sweepings are the final source of process solid waste. These include twine used to tie bundles of
hides, salt used to preserve the hides prior to handling, and general plant debris. Approximately 3% of
tannery solid waste is floor sweepings.

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 Hazardous Wastes Pollutant Concentration Rangea Disposal Method
From a Typical (wet weight in mg/kg)
Tannery Waste Source
Chrome trimmings & Cr+3 2,200 - 21,000
Shavings

Chrome fleshings Cr+3 4,000

Unfinished chrome leather Cr+3 4,600 - 37,000

trim Cu 2.3 - 468
Pb 2.5 - 476
Zn 9.1 - 156 Landfill
Dewater sludge; all
Buffing dust Cr+3 19 - 22,000 waste disposed in
Cu 29 - 1,900 certified hazardouswaste
Pb 2 - 924 disposal facility
Zn 160 Landfill with leachate
collection
Finishing residues Cr+3 0.45 - 12,000
Cu 0.35 - 208
Pb 2.5 - 69,200
Zn 14 - 876

Finished leather trim Cr+3 1,600 - 41,000

Pb 100 - 3,300

Sewer screenings Cr+3 0.27 - 14,000

Pb 2 - 110
Zn 35 - 128

Wastewater treatment Cr+3 0.33 - 19,400

residues (sludges) Cu 0.12 - 8,400
Pb 0.75 - 240
Zn 1.2 - 147

3.2.1 Solid Waste in Tanneries and its key characteristics

Type of Rate of Characteristics Comments

Solid Generation of
Waste Solid Waste
Dusted 0.1 Contains around Contaminated with blood, hair, dirt and
Salt kg/skin 120 gm/kg of bacteria. Partly
moisture, 120 reused in curing and the rest is
gm/kg of volatile indiscriminately dumped
matter, 450 gm/kg in undeveloped lands near the tanneries.
of salt.

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Raw 0.024 Proteins The skins are trimmed (especially at legs,
Trimming kg/skin belley, neck, and tail parts) in order to give
it a smooth shape. The trimmings are
usually sold to soap and poultry feed
makers. It is usually used for glue and
poultry feed production.
Fleshing 0.25 Contains around This is the flesh material of limed skins. It is
kg/skin 240 gm/kg of proteins, usually sold to soap and poultry feed
200 gm/kg of fats, 3 makers.
gm/kg of lime, 2 gm/kg
of sulphide.
Wet 0.14 Contains around 240 After chrome tanning, skins or split hides
Trimming/ kg/skin gm/kg of proteins, 30 are shaved to proper thickness. This
Wet gm/kg of fats, 15 gm/kg operation produces solid waste containing
Shaving of chromium oxide. chrome. Secondary users, including poultry
feed makers, usually collect these shavings
from the tanners.
Dry 0.06 Contains around Secondary users, including poultry feed
Trimming/ kg/skin 300 gm/kg of proteins, makers, collect cuttings and dry trimmings
Dry 130 gm/kg of fats, 30 of the leather from the tanners.
Shaving/B gm/kg of chromium
oxide
uffing
Dust
Assorted No Primarily cartons, This is normally sold separately (in bulk) in
Refuse consistent bags, drums, etc. the retail
quantity market.

3.2.2 Characteristics of wastewater discharged at each manufacturing step in tannery:

Process step Amount of water pH COD NKj Cr
(m /ton)
3
- kg COD/m 3
kg N/m 3
kg Cr/m3
Pretanning:
Soaking 4-6 6-9 30-40 1-1.5 -
Unhairing, liming 5-9 12-13 40-60 3-5 -
Fleshing 1-3 - - - -
Deliming, bating 5-7 8.5-9 5-8 3.5-4 -
Tanning:
Chrome tanning 0.5-1 3.8-4 2-3 0.3-0.6 0.5-5
Pressing 0.4-0.6 3.6-4.5 1.2-1.8 0.11-0.22 0.5-5
Neutralisation 1-1.5 4.5-4.7 2.5-3 0.5-0.8 0-1.0
Painting, fatting 3-4.5 3.8-4.5 5-6 0.2-0.3 0-5.0
Finishing:
Drying 3-6
Finishing 1-2
Cleaning 5

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3.2.3 Pollution Levels in Tannery Effluents:
Parameters Raw sheep & goat Raw calf Wet Blue (sheep & goat NEQS
skins- hides- skins)-

Finished leather Finished Finished leather

leather
(mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) mg/l
pH 9.33-9.88 7.33-7.67 3.52-3.55 6-10
BOD5 11050-14827 840-1740 714-1346 80
COD 41300-43000 1000-2680 2000-3500 150
Sulphate as SO4 at 0 time 1818-3146 800-860 5480-6480 600
settling
Sulphate as S at 0 time 288-292 1.2-2.6 Nil 1.0
settling
Chromium Cr at 0 time 64-133.3 41 160-194 1.0
settling
Suspended solids at 0 time 4270-4650 820-1920 1972-6620 150
settling

3.3 Wastes produced at each step of manufacturing at tannery:

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3 Pakistan's Leather Industry:

The leather industry in Pakistan is continuing to grow. In fact, the overall bulk of industrialization still lies
ahead and it is expected that industry will double in 10 years and then double again. The leather

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 tanneries will no doubt be a part of this burgeoning trend. As long as there is a profit to be made in the
arena, new factories--small or large--will continue to start up.

The chrome tanning method is the most widely used process in Pakistan's leather sector. However, the
vegetable tanning method and a combination of chrome and vegetable tanning is also applied. The
process includes a number of different steps during which large quantities of water and chemicals are
applied to the skins. About 130 different chemicals are used in leather processing, depending on the type
of raw material used and finished product. These may be divided into four major classes: pretanning
chemicals, tanning chemicals, wet finishing chemicals and finishing chemicals. Groundwater is used as
the major source of water in Pakistan's leather industry.

According to the Leather Industry Development Organization, there are 526 tanneries in Karachi, Lahore,
Multan, Kasur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Gujranwala, and Sialkot, with the majority of leather production
taking place in medium-size tanneries. Animal skins—which are the basis of the leather industry—are
obtained from the provinces of the Punjab and Sindh. Limited quantities of imported hides are also used.
The season of peak activity begins around Eid-ul-Azha and extends for between two to three months.
During this period, production levels can reach twice the normal level.

The leather industry as a whole--including both tanned leather and leather garments--is an important
foreign exchange earner. Due to the leather industries prominent position in Pakistan's export industry,
the national government has instead offered incentives-- such as a rebates on the export of leather and
leather products, duty-free import of raw hides and skins for re-export after value- addition, and export
refund scheme on export of leather footwear-- to bolster the leather industry with very little environmental
guidance. These incentives are increasing the profit margin of the leather industry and encouraging more
operations to set up shop--without the environmental controls. By falsely inflating the profit margin for
such leather tanning operations, however, the government has created that much more of a difficult task
in inevitably mandating the installation of waste-treatment equipment. The strong leather industry is
currently still in a position to lobby strongly against such increased costs.

Pakistani exports of tanned leather is on the increase following a decline of leather production in the
developed world due to more stringent environmental controls.

Pakistan's leather industry is one of the major foreign exchange earners for the country. About 90% of its
products are exported in finished form. During 1996-97, the production of leather was about 14.3 million
m2 and export earning amounted to US$ 642 million. In 1990 the leather sector jumped to become the
second largest foreign exchange earner for the country by contributing 10.41 percent toward the total
export revenue. The increase in tanned leather exports (not even including leather garments) from 1990-
1995 alone is astounding. The leather products industry increased its amount of exports from $271
million USD in the 1990-1991 fiscal year to $349 million USD in 1994-95.

5. Environmental Management Plan for a typical tannery

S.NO PROJECT TARGET ACTION RESPONSIBILITY

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 COMPONENET
1 Fungus on hides To protect the In order to protect the Proponent /
hides/skin from hides/skin from fungus make Design
changes building structure.
fungus Use fiber glass roof on the hall Consultants
where hides will stored instead
of concrete.
2 Curing hides and Reducing use of Chill hides without salt to Industry
skins preservatives preserve them for a few days. Management /
Proponent

3 Emergency To mitigate the Fire extinguishers cylinder Proponent /

Response emergency should be provided at many Design
condition as it locations where necessary with Consultants
arises GI wiring
4 Congestion and To decrease Number of windows should be Proponent /
exhaustion congestion and designed in the hide yard. Design
exhaustion Adequate number of exhaust Consultants
fans will be there to decrease
congestion and exhaustion.

5 Impacts on To mitigate the The storage of lubricant Contractor /

surface and problem of materials such as oil and Proponent
ground water contamination of grease should be confined in
surface and to pits so that in case of any
groundwater leakage or spillage, the
lubricant materials do not
contaminate the entire project
site.
6 Health and To ensure health The Contractor should ensure Contractor /
Safety of workers and safety of that the construction workers Proponent
and public workers and public are trained in safety
procedures for all relevant
activities of construction;
Construction workers should
be provided with proper safety
equipment such as helmets,
goggles, masks, etc.
Proponents should make
regular checks to ensure that
the contractor is following
safety measure instructions.

S.NO PROJECT TARGET ACTION RESPONIBILITY

COMPONENT
7 Water To conserve water With flow meters water Industry
Consumption and reduce water conservation strategy should Management /
consumption be adopted and the staff be Proponent
trained. Converting from

19
 continuous to sequential
washing can lead to significant
water saving and to a much
reduced hydraulic load for the
effluent treatment plant.

8 Wastewater To reduce Reuse of lime and water, Industry

Generation wastewater recovery of chrome and management/
generation and to alternatives of chemicals to be proponent
ensure proper used
disposal.
9 Solid Waste Reuse and to Reuse, recycle and sale to Industry
Generation establish a proper known buyers and poultry management
Solid waste owners. /Proponent
management plan
10 Emergency To mitigate the The internationally recognized Industry
Response problem of health and safety standards management/
emergency will be adopted and the Proponent
Emergency Response Plan
situations should be developed and
implemented in close
consultation with the Fire
Fighting Department,
Paramedics and Civil Defense.

11 Chrome Reuse To save chrome Recycle Chrome through Industry

that is wasted Precipitation process and management/
reuse sludge after simple Proponent
settling and acidification.
12 Occupational To reduce OHS The provision and use of Industry
health and safety issues and safety items such as face management/
considerations accidents protective shields, acid Proponent
resistant gloves, aprons,
masks, etc. should be strictly
enforced. Information about
safety, health and environment
should be visibly displayed in
the workspace. Short-term
training on occupational health
and safety, modern practices
of handling chemicals, etc.
should be conducted for
tannery staff and operators.
6. DEMOLITION PLAN:

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The demolition plan for tannery should be addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a long-term
remedial phase that should focus on the cleanup of the entire site.

6.1 Immediate Actions:

• Fence the site to limit access by the public.

• Determine the structural soundness of wood-frame sections of the main tannery building and the
smokestack.

• Remove asbestos and dispose at an approved off-site disposal facility which is found in building
materials, pipework and insulation. PCBs can be found in electrical equipment such as
transformers/hydraulic equipment and capacitors.

• Determine soil and groundwater contamination which can occur when chemicals and wastewater
seep through the soil from unlined ponds, pipes and drains, or from dumps and spills. Important
pollutants include chlorides, tannins, trivalent chromium, sulphate and sulphides as well as other
trace organic chemicals and chlorinated solvents.
• Demolish the remaining concrete and steel parts of the tannery building.

6.2 Entire Site: A remedial investigation (RI) should be undertaken to determine the nature and extent of
the contamination at and emanating from the site. Four rounds of sampling should be completed in on-
site and off-site locations, with each subsequent sampling round being designed based on information
from the prior round. As a result of this effort, a baseline ecological risk assessment can be conducted,
with samples taken from the on-site wetland and downstream locations of the stream, river or drain where
discharges from tannery might cause ecological risk due to presence of chromium.
The selected remedy can include excavation of contaminated soil hot spots from the former tannery
property, excavation/dredging of contaminated wetland and river or drain sediments located adjacent to
the former tannery property, solidification (the addition of cement additives to change the physical and
chemical characteristics in order to immobilize contaminants) and consolidation of the excavated/dredged
soils and sediments on the former tannery property, placement of a soil cover, and intermittent
groundwater extraction and treatment.

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7. Social Action Plan:
The imposition of social obligations on any industry provides an important opportunity to examine how
social responsibilities are construed by companies and how these constructions relate to perceptions of
the role of regulation, specifically the scope for compromise and influence with the regulator. The social
action plan emphasizes the subjective and multiple nature of social responsibility and of regulatory
relationships, and demonstrate struggles for the strategic and operational meaning over the nature of
public interest and competitive advantage.

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Unit: Leather Tannery
Goal: To reduce social implications die to the project and to enhance the social controls
of the area.

ISSUE Tasks/Action Steps Timeline

(By when?)
1. Resettlement Reduce land acquisition and
resettlement issues. If they
cannot be avoided, proper
resettlement plans and
compensations should be
given.
2.Employment Employment policies of the
tannery should be focused
on hiring majority of the
skilled and non-skilled
workers from the
surrounding communities.
3. Labour and Community Development of plans and
Improvements procedures for managing
community health impacts
due to the contamination of
land and water resources.
Control odours emitting
from tannery to avoid being
a nuisance to the
community.
Ensure basic considerations
of animal rights and animal
welfare are in place.
Design and communication
of an appropriate code of
business conduct that
considers concerns of key
stakeholders (shareholders,
employees, government
bodies, NGOs).

Ensure there are fair wages,

4. Vulnerable customers
5. Infrastructure
development
Evidence of success (How will you know you’re making progress?)
fair working hours and
working conditions in place
in line with national law.
Reducing the incidence
of self-disconnection
through inability to pay,
Improving the uptake
and quality of services
provided to customers
on the Priority
Service Register.
Roads, provision of utilities
and better civic and
administrative structures
are needed for a tannery.
These should be shared
with the community.

23
Evaluation process (How will you know your goal has been reached?)
8. References

24
• COTANCE (Confederation of Tanning Industries of the European Union). 2002. The European
Tanning Industry Sustainability Review. Brussels, Belgium: COTANCE.

• Environment Australia. 1999. National Pollutant Inventory. Emission Estimation Technique

Manual for Leather Tanning and Finishing. Canberra, Australia: European Commission,
Directorate General JRC,

• Freudenburg, William R. 1986. Social Impact Assessment. Annual Review of Sociology, 1986.
12:451 - 78.

• Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC). 2001. Reference Document on Best Available
Techniques for the Tanning of Hides and Skins. BREF. May. Sevilla, Spain: IPPC.

• IPPC, Integrated Pollution Prevention and control, UK Environmental Agency, Guidance for
tanneries sector, 2002 (IPPC S6.08) http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

• Interorganizational Committee for Guidelines and Principles for SIA, May 1994. Guidelines and
Principles for Social Impact Assessment. U.S. Department Commerce. Reprinted in Burdge, 1998
(op.cit.)

• International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS), IU Commission

Environment (IUE). 2004. Technical Guidelines for Environmental Protection Aspects for the
World Leather Industry. Pembroke, UK: IULTCS. Available at
http://www.iultcs.org/environment.asp

• Japan International Center for Occupational Safety and Health (JICOSH). 2001– 02. Accident
Frequency Rates and Severity Rates by Industry. Tokyo, Japan: JICOSH.

• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Environmental Directorate.

2004. Emission Scenario Document on Leather Processing. ENV/JM/MONO(2004)13. Paris,
France: OECD.

• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 2000. Pollutants in Tannery

Effluents. Regional Program for Pollution Control in the Tanning Industry in South-East Asia.
Prepared by M. Bosnic, J. Buljan and R.P. Daniels. US/RAS/92/120.: UNIDO.

• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 2000. Occupational Safety and
Health Aspects of Leather Manufacture – Guidelines and Recommendations for Managers and
Supervisors of Tanneries and Effluent Treatment Plants. Prepared by J. Buljan, A.
Sahasranaman, and J. Hannak.
• India: RePO-UNIDO and Council for Leather Exports (CLE).

• US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1995–2003. Leather Tanning and Finishing,
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Industry Data, Years 1995–2003. Washington, DC: US
Department of Labor.

• US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). 1997. AP-42 Emission Factors. Leather
Tanning. Section 9.15. Washington, DC: US EPA.

25
• Vanclay, Frank. 2000. Social Impact Assessment. Contributing Paper, Thematic Review V.2,
INS220: Environmental and Social Assessment for Large Dams. Prepared for the World
Commission on Dams.

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