Ecological Friendly Production Process and Waste Treatment for Circular Economy in Leather Tanning Industries

Abstract

Ecological friendly processes with recovery of salt, chemicals and water for reuse in the tanning process as well as from liquid and solid waste are necessary for the promotion of circular economy.Recent developments in cleaner production and treatment process by reducing volume of effluent and pollution discharges, recovery of quality salt in the segregated streams such as saline soak liquor, spent chrome liquor and adoption of advanced aerobic oxidation process in the treatment system resulted in the recovery of purified salt, quality chromium and water for reuse. The achievements of innovative cleaner production and effluent treatment for promotion of circular economy are: Reduction in water usage in soaking process from 6000-8000 liters to less than 3000 liters/ ton of hides, Separate treatment of saline streams and recovery of quality salt, chromium in the form of cake / powder and Replacement of physiochemical treatment into biological treatment reduction in chemical usage and sludge generation by more than 60%. Viable cleaner production and sustainable treatment technologies had been engineered and are being implemented in many major leather clusters and Common Effluent Treatment Plants.