Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
The British Leather Confederation, which provides the Secretariat for the
International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Environment and Waste
Commission, is gathering information on clean technologies of leather manufacture,
in co-operation with other leather industry associations. First results of this work will
be presented as an example of the role that industrial associations can play in
networking and promoting cleaner production.
Key aspects of the work are:
.
.
19
Leather manufactureis one of the oldest established industries and has a current
annual turnover of approximately US$25 lion, providing employment for around
half a million workers on a worldwide b a s i 8 . It is essentially a by-product industry,
utilising hides and skins from animals raised primarily for their meat. Statistical
informationfrom the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation shows that
in 1987 global leather productio as nearly 14 billion square feet, produced from
over 5 million tonnes of rawstocfi2? In this sense the tanning industry considerably
reduces the environmentalimpact of the meat industry, which would otherwise have
a major waste disposal problem.
However, only approximately one-fifth of the rawstock can in practice be
converted into saleable leather, the remainder forming wastes or by products. For
example, some of the raw material, such as hair, soluble proteins and fat has to be
removed during processing to prepare the collagen fibre structure of the hide for
tanning and some parts of the leather also have to be trimmed or shaved during the
production process. Residual chemicals from the leather manufacturing process
contributefurther to the tannery wastes. An indicationof the amountsof liquideffluent
and solid wastes or by-productsresulting from the processing of 1 tonne of rawhide
to leather is given in Figure 1.
A more detailed analysis of leather processing showing the stages at which
chemical inputs are made and liquid effluent and solid wastes produced is given in
Figure 2, and discussed below. The reader is also referredto a number of excellent
reviews published in recent years that provide comprehensive information on the
environmental impact of leather processing and pollution abatement, eg, The
Technical Guide to R ucing the Environmental Impact of Tannery Operations
(F Balkau; UNEP/IEO) , Pollution Abatement and Control in the Leather Industry
(R L Sykes, D R C ning, British Leather Confederation; UNEP Industry and
Environment Journal)%; Environmental Impact Guidelin for New Source Leather
Tanning and Finishing Industries (Wapora; U EPA
Wastes from Tanning,
Leather, Dressing and Fellmongering (UK DOE) .
BY.
8)
soluble, non-collagenousproteins (eg, albumins), the hair and epidermal layer of the
hide are degraded by chemical digestion of the hair/epidermal keratin with alkaline
sodium sulphide. This unhairing step accounts for much of the BOD, COD, and
suspended solids produced in the tannery effluent. The alkaline treatment also
removes additional interfibrillaryprotein to open up the collagen fibre structure of the
hide, which is essential for the production of soft leather. Although alkaline sodium
sulphide itself poses few problems, toxic hydrogen sulphide gas would be evolved if
the pH droppedinthe effluent and most tanneries, at least inthe developingcountries,
therefor use a manganese catalysed aeration treatment originally developed by
BLMRA to comply with the low sulphide levels required by control authorities for
discharges. Physico-chemical treatments are frequently employed to reduce the
organic load and COD in the effluent (by around 50%) and to reduce the suspended
matter by 8040%. A typical tannery effluent treatment system is illustratedin Figure3.
0)
20
GIVES
50 m3 LIQUID EFFLUENT
CONTAINING
COD
BOD
Susp solids
Chromium
Sulphide
235-250 kg
c 100 kg
c 150 kg
5-6 kg
c 10 kg
I
120 kg
70-230 kg
Tanned
Blue sheetings
Trimmings
shavings
115 kg
Dyed/finished
Buffing dust
Trimmings
G
LEATHE
21
100 kg
2 kg
32 kg
CHEMICAL INPUTS
salt
PROCESS STAGE
LIQUID EFFLUENT
SOLID WASTES
RAWHIDE
-)-----salt
trim---
)trimmings
h)
sulphlde/lime
5'
ammonium salts b
en mes
a c z salt
I : - ,
(cl
-#-
retanniyagents
dyes, bu er salts, etc.
lubricants
salts
)."onium
Hrease
)acid brine
wet'blue
POST TANNING
WET WORK
-- retannage
dyeinfl
- - - lubricat on
-- -
liquors containing
process chemicals in
low concentration
hdry
m -- - - -
bleather trimmings
stress softening
v)
LI
)fatty fleshings
ving---
wei blue
Q
3.
7
sulphide, lime
sludges
mainly lime, protein
chromium 111
salt solutions
BEAYHOUSE
$oak---b -_-- unM&--
FINISHING
buffing -surface coating
trimmingsorting
- ---
)(solvent vapour)
)buffing dust
Weather trimmings
POST TANNINQ
L
RINSES
._
TANNINQ
COARSE
SCREEN
DISCHARQE
TREATMENT
TO SEWER
SLUDQE
DEWATER
G
D1SPOSAL
81.
23
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
Replacement of chromium
More effective use of chromium
More efficient use of chemicals
Sulphide free unhairing, possibly with hair recovery
Utilisationof wastes
Re-use of water
Odour control
Solvent free finishing
N-free deliming
In fact many of these targets are now already being achieved and Figure 5
illustrates just a small selection of new clean technologies that are currently being
introduced by the leather industry, or are already in place. These include:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
More detailed informationon the processes are reported in the References cited
in Figure 5.
24
PROCESS
PROCESS STAGE
cLEANTEmNouKiY
REDUCTION OF
p0UuTK)N
SALT IN SOA
uawwl
NOSALTIN
EFFLUENT
REDUCED
+ BODOF
AMMONIA
EFFLUE
CHROMIUM 111 I
EFFLUENTAN
EFFLUENT
REDUCEDUSE
OF SULPHIDE
NO AMMONIA
IN EFFLUENT
REDUCED
*CHROMIUM
IN
EFFLUENT
CHROMIUM
RECOVERWRECYCUNQ
REDUCED
IN
OR
NO CHROMIUM
-+IN EFFLUENT,
S W D WASTES
,-
and
o l h u ~ ~ l u
The main objective is to set up a practically useful system to enable the tanner
to easily shortlist appropriate technologies for his requirements from the database.
As part of this procedureit is also essentialfor the tanner to be able to identifyexisting
users of the technology and independent leather experts, as well as the
manufacturers or inventors, whom the tanner can then separately consutt. It is
considered most important that the database should not just be a bibliographic
source of informationbut should be of immediate practical use, quantifyingwherever
possible the reductions in pollution achievable by the clean technology, listing any
disadvantages and above all, giving an indication of its present level of development
and extent of use, since systems inevitably range from those just at the researchand
development stage to well-established technologies in widespread use. An outline
of the factors that have been selected for inclusion in the database is given in the
Questionnaire reproduced in Figure 7, which in this particular example/case history
has been completed for a new tanning product, Synektan TAL, manufacturedby IC1
as a replacementfor chromium.
The leather industry has made considerable investments in time and money in
reducing the pollution from tanneries and has achieved significant progress in
introducing cleaner technologies, in collaboration with the suppliers. Nevertheless,
because of the imposition of increasingly restrictive and sometimes unreasonable
environmental legislation, many tanners have been forced out of business in recent
years and the jobs of their workers lost because of the non-productive costs of
improving environmental standards. In the recent survey of research directors Of
leather research organisations, o e of the problems highlighted was the need to
eliminate environmental hysteria&. It is to be hoped that in the years to come the
legislative authorities will recognise the efforts of the tanning industry by setting
realistic and scientifically based controls and avoiding, wherever possible,
politically-motivatedor emotional responses to the environmental problems facing
all of us.
26
Q U E S T I O N N A I R E
1.
2.
t i t a n i u m complex m i n e r a l t a n n i n g a g e n t (non-chrome)
S y n e k t a n TAL
3.
0 Ravstock
0F i n i s h i n g
0 Beamhouse
OWaste T r e a t m e n t
0Energy Usage
d T a n n i n g and p r e t a n n i n g f o r wet w h i t e
d D y e i n g and F a t l i q u o r i n g and r e t a n n i n g
OOther:
4.
(Please t i c k )
(Please explain)
5.
6.
I z:iL: 1
C l e a n e r or
Less
Recycled Better L i q u i d
I u p t a k e l waste
less t o x i c I r e q u i r e d l
benefits benefits
alternative
Ammonia
Chromium
Chloride
Nitrogen
Sulphide
Solvents
Pesticides
Biocides
Reductions:
BiochemicallChemLcal O n_ a_ e n Demand
Suspended s o l i d s
Total solids
Crease
0 Odour
reduction
0 Energy s a v i n g
B e t t e r working c o n d i t i o n s
dother:
(Please explain)
27
7.
~~~
Q u a n t i f y ADVANTAGES i t e m i s e d above:
(eg.
10% l e a s s a l t in e f f l u e n t )
N w i r n t prcseiit;
I I I H ~opply
High c o s t s
Technical p r o b l e m
1c~:lslutioti
Consciit L i m i t s
d Other:
P o s t - t a n n i n g s t e p s have t o b e m o d i f i e d t o t a k e a c c o u n t of A 1
9.
H w PRACTICAL is t h e c l e a n t e c h n o l o g y ?
+ Ti
i n the leather
Please explain
Very p r a c t i c a l , no c a p i t a l c o s t r e q u i r e d or c h a n g e s t o e x i s t i n g p r o c e s s i n g methods
10.
( P l e a s e t i c k r e l e v a n t item/s)
- Best p o s s i b l e
available to date
Reasonable - Better t h a n o t h e r p r o c e s s e s
Not so good - No better t h a n o t h e r a v a i l a b l e p r o c e s s e s
Very good
Cd Good - Beat
0
0
11.
12.
C o n t a c t name:
Company name:
Address:
Tel:
13.
Ian Tate
I C 1 C o l o u r s and F i n e Chemicals
PO Box 42. Hexagon House, B l a c k l e y . Manchester M9 30A
0 6 1 7 2 1 2562
Telex:
667841
Fax:
( P l e a s e t i c k r e l e v a n t item/s)
L i m i t e d commercial u s e
d w i d e s p r e a d use
R e s e a r c h 6 Development
0 Trial/Prototype
0 Other: ( P l e a s e e x p l a i n )
14.
WLEUENTATION COSTS:
fl
5000
0 f5001
10.000
@f
flO.OO1 -
5-10 y e a r s
50.000
0 f50.001
100.000
0 More t h a n flOO.OO1
15.
AVAILABILITY
N America
S America
Africa
16.
0
0
1-10
51-100
11-50
28
17.
18.
Give details of TANNERIES using this process who uould be willing to be contacted:
Coiitnct nor:
Organisation name:
Type of business:
Address:
Tel:
Dr H P Walker
The British Leather Co Ltd
Bovine tanners
Tranmere Tannery, Nev Chester Road, Birkenhead, L41 9BS
Telex:
629570
Fax:
19.
20.
I Tate
21.
22.
23.
Name
Organisation
Address
Tel:
21.
667841
Fax:
Telex:
629570
Fax:
I P Tate
IC1 Colours and Fine Chemicals
PO Box 42, Hexagon House, Blackley. Manchester I49 30A
Telex:
667841
Fax:
26.
Telex:
Dr M P Walker
The British Leather Co Ltd
Tranmere Tannery, New Chester Road, Rirkenhead, L41 9BS
Name:
Organisation:
Address:
25.
I P Tate/R H Webster
IC1 Colours and Fine Chemicals
PO Box 42. Hexagon House. Blackley. Manchester H9 30A
Dr A D Covington
British Leather Confederation
Leather Trade House, Moulton Park, Northampton
Telex:
317124
Fax:
NN3 1JD
0604 648220
29
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6.
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wet blues,
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1988
40 ( 8 ) 1 - 5
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75 ( 1 0 ) 378-388
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30
Journal 23.
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J o u r n a l 26,
Journal 27.
Journal 28,
Journal 29.
J Am L e a t h e r C h e m Assoc
1981
76 ( 1 ) 35-39
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1989
107 ( 6 ) 2 4 - 2 7
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34 ( 2 4 ) 424-429
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3 1 ( 1 ) 1-8
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and r e u s e o f chromium f r o m c h r o m e - l a d e n t a n n e r y w a s t e and a
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1980
75 ( 9 ) 322-330
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7 3 (6) 164-167
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I N : The w e t - w h i t e o p t i o n .
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2 ( 4 ) 110-115
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384-386
I N : 1 9 t h IULTCS Congress, M e l b o u r n e , 1 9 8 7 ,
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106 ( 9 ) 8 - 1 5
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( S y n e k t a n TAL)
Lecture no.16.
IN:
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Anon.
I C I s Chrome-free a l t e r n a t i v e .
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1988
190 ( 4 5 5 8 ) 5 9 - 6 1
Anon. N
I:
Water-borne f i n i s h e s s t a r t making a s p l a s h .
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W o r l d L e a t h e r 1990
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Leather
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aaueous o o l v u r e t h a n e s .
( S t a h l Chemical I n d u s t r i e s B V )
Leather
1488
190 ( J a n ) 19-21
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p r o b l e m s and s o i u t l o n s u n d e r t h e a s p e c t s o f c h e m i s t r y ,
( K J Quinn GmbH)
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1990
3 (1) 2
Wor I d L e a t h e r
Journal 30.
Journal 31.
Journal 32.
Book
33.
Journal 34.
Journal 35.
Book
36.
Journal 37.
Journal 38.
J o u r n a l 39.
Journal 40.
Book
41.
.Journal 42.
31
WASTE MINIMIZATION
APPROACHES and
1 Activities
Chicago, Illin
1 present a s
minimization
conducting a wa
the
receiving
fa
S ON POTW1s
and contamina
SLUDGE PR
reducing the amount
of sludge will usually result in less sludge requiring treatment
and disposal. Care should be taken in instances where industrial
wastewater flows are substantial not to adversely affect sludge
operations at the POW.
32