Page 23 - Namami gange 31st edition-16 printing

Industry Insights

Fleshings to tallow:

A Waste to Wealth Approach

he leather industry has long drains has an adverse effect on the from the fleshing, which then starts
been known to generate a river’s biodiversity, putting aquatic to float on top of the reaction
Tsignificant amount of solid life in danger. chamber. The remaining fatty matter
and liquid waste. While the liquid is separated, filtered, and purified
waste can be treated, the disposal Solidaridad in collaboration with using diluted sulphuric acid, which
of solid waste has always been a National Mission for Clean Ganga is is readily available in the market.
challenge. One of the major solid working towards finding sustainable
waste generated during the pre- and eco-friendly alternatives for The result of this process is tallow,
tanning process is the fleshing the local tanners and collection a valuable commodity in the market
waste. It accounts for approximately centres. Solid waste management which is widely used in India for
in a sustainable manner is one of making soap and other products.
50-60% of the total solid waste key focus areas of Solidaridad Solidaridad estimates that from every
generated in the leather industry.
and partners to create win-win 1,000 kilograms of wet fleshings,
This fleshing waste is collected by propositions for all the stakeholders around 25-30 kilograms of tallow
the local collection centres, and is in the supply chain. Within this, one can be recovered. By implementing
typically dried and burnt into ashes of the primary focus areas is the this innovative process, Solidaridad
and converted into animal feed. tallow extraction process, which is not only creating an economic
Alternatively, some of the fleshing involves separating the fatty material opportunity for the local tanners
waste is converted into tallow in from the fleshing waste. but also reducing the environmental
an open digester. However, these impact of the leather industry,
practices are harmful for the The traditional tallow extraction particularly caused by the disposal
environment and unsustainable. process is time-consuming and of fleshings.
inefficient, resulting in significant
In Kanpur, such issues have been waste of resources. However, To showcase the efficiency of this
raised. There is no proper channel after conducting intense research, process, Solidaridad partnered
for disposal, and the unsustainable Solidaridad has managed to increase with Super Tannery, Kanpur, and
methods in practice lead to many the efficiency and sustainability established a tallow oil extraction
problems. for example, the high of the existing process by making pilot plant demonstration on
organic content in the waste causes some modifications to it. the premises of the footwear
foul odour, which can create manufacturing company. Uttar
problems for nearby residents. Solidaridad’s innovative approach Pradesh Leather Industries
involves cooking the fleshing waste Association (UPLIA) also helped
furthermore, the leachate that enters with steam at a precise temperature. with the facilitation of the process.
the river through neighbouring This separates the fatty material This pilot plant offers an eco-

Fleshings produced in tannery Open air digester treats fleshings in an unsustainable manner and generates pollution

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