Focus on raising green standards in Asia's tanneries
AS CONSUMERS increasingly demand that the goods they buy are produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible, tanners are facing rising pressure to bring their manufacturing processes in line with environmental standards.
Leather production from hides produces a slew of byproducts, including waste solids, such as shavings, trimmings and sludge, and waste water that contains chlorides, sulphates and chromium.
'In leather, only about 20 per cent to 25 per cent of what goes in is actually used,' said Stuart Booth, consulting services manager of BLC Leather Technology Centre in Britain.
'The rest is waste.'
Putting this waste to good use is just one of the objectives of environmental strategies already firmly entrenched in countries in Europe and North America. BLC, for example, has found ways to recycle leather shavings for wound dressings and is working to develop a way to reuse waste to generate electricity.
'The modern general rule for chemicals and waste in tanneries is, where possible, reduce, replace, reuse and recycle, using the best available techniques,' said Ken Nokes, membership liaison representative of the SATRA Technology Centre in Britain.
In Europe, strict environmental regulations for tanneries covering employees' health and safety, solid waste, air cleanliness, water waste and effluent are well-enforced.
But in countries such China, regulations are still rudimentary and policing more complicated.
With much of the leather manufacturing industry having moved to Asia, the spotlight is on tanneries particularily in China, where environmental controls are still lax.
Roughly 50 per cent of leather is produced in Asia and 25 per cent in China, according to Mr Nokes.
'In the future, companies will not be able to ignore demands for environmental improvements. The pressure will come from customers, who will buy products only from companies that demonstrate their care for the health and safety of employees and the environment,' he said.
Along with consumers, tannery employees and the Earth, companies reap the benefits of implementing environmentally friendly processes in their factories in the form of cost savings from lower effluent charges, reduced sludge disposal costs and a healthier workforce.
'There will be an initial set-up cost for installing an environment management control system but this will pay for itself in improvements in work practices,' Mr Nokes said.
The theme of environmental practices features prominently at the Asia Pacific Leather Fair 2005's Materials, Manufacturing and Technology show.
A forum co-organised by BLC, Nike, Timberland and SRL will discuss the establishment of a working group to develop a standardised environmental auditing protocol for tanneries around the world.
The forum will be held on Friday in Room 207 of the Convention and Exhibition Centre and is open to all tanners and footwear brands.
