Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Assessment of Environmental Impact for Tannery Industries in Bangladesh

Abul Hasnat
Department of CEE, Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Bangladesh

Istiakur Rahman
Department of CEE, Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Bangladesh

Mosabbir Pasha
Department of CEE, Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Leather industry is a prominent industrial sector in Bangladesh which has a massive influence on our economy. The industry has become an area of export thrust with footwear having been identified as an area of extreme focus. Though having massive potential, this overgrowing sector has received much criticism on environmental as well as health issues. Basically, the process of tanning is to retain the skin's natural properties, to stabilize its structure and at the same time to chemically process it so it will no longer be subject to putrefaction. It is one of the most energy-intensive industries in Bangladesh which creates ecotoxicity like water pollution, solid waste generations. In Bangladesh ecotoxicity evaluation of any aquatic environment has not been conducted in large scale so far. Tannery discharges wastes to the marshy land like rivers and canals which carry toxic chemicals like H2S (water), NH3 (ammonia), poisonous chlorine and nitrogen-based gases. According to a report by SOCIETY FOR ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (SEHD), millions of people suffer from gastrointestinal, dermatological and other diseases and 90% of them die before the age of 50. This project has been done to focus on the evaluation of pollution on the relative areas and also aimed at optimum utilization of for this Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been done in those particular areas. It shows highly negative impact on the ecological environment but shows more positive impact on human interest.

Keywords: EIA, Eco toxicity, Optimum utilization, Tannery discharge, Water treatment

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Commodity: Environmental Impact

Objectives:

1) To provide an actual scenario of the impact of tannery waste on environment 2) To ensure the sustainability of tanneries development 3) To identify the source of safe production, managing adverse impacts 4) To enforce environmental policy and applicable environmental legislations.

Methodology:

The study was overtaken by several following tasks: 1) Visiting tanneries and respective surrounding places 2) On-site assessments and interviews with relevant personnel 3) Preparing EIA report based on interviews To stipulate the promotion of waste minimization by suggesting mitigation measures. A. Study Area The study was conducted in Madina tannery, which is the largest tannery in Chittagong. It is situated at the Jalalabad area near Oxygen point. The study area is located at 22 23’14.36” N latitude and 91 49’14.36” E longitudes, elevation is 41 feet. It was established in 1983. Madina tannery is renowned for manufacturing all sorts of crust and finished leather and exports them to America and Europe. A refinery industry is situated at the south direction of the industry. There are some crop fields and isolated residential houses in the direction of the north boundary. Within the 1 km of Madina tannery, urban development is considerably observed. In the back of the tannery, there is a railway line after which there are hillocks in north-south direction. Seasonal, intermittent and perennial streams are introduced in the drainage system of the area. The annual average rainfall is recorded 2870 mm (113in). By runoff, all the wastes are drained and affect the nearby agricultural field. [3]. B. Tanning Process It is a process of converting putrescible animal hides and skins to a stable commercial product called “Leather”. Card hides and skins arriving at a tannery are trimmed to remove unwanted materials for making of leather. Then the soaking, liming, fleshing, de-liming, bating degreasing and pickling processes are carried out to create a favorable environment for tanning process. C. Impact on Environment Tanning process includes both solid and liquid wastes. The solid wastes are predominantly from the initial and final stages of processing while the effluents are produced mostly during tanning and dying. The effluents contain dissolved lime, hydrogen sulfide, acids, chromium dyes, oils, organic matter and suspended solids. The waste water which is discharged into open drains and ultimately find its way onto land surfaces and into waters in the vicinity. As it is difficult to flush-out the waste water, so it causing a great environmental hazard in the neighborhood of the tannery. On the other hand, dumping of solid waste is seriously affecting the soil and plants, vitiating the air, groundwater and human health. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the changes in environmental resources or values resulting industry or project which may be positive or negative. The EIA process generally comprises of three sequential elements: 1) All potential positive and negative impacts on the natural and human environment resulting from a project which is going to occur in the future or may exist at present as an industry or a project. 2) Evaluation of the identified impacts with respect to impacts from other industrial actions. 3) Preparation of a mitigation plan which upon implementation will reduce negative impacts on the environment to acceptable levels. A. Method of Assessment Considering the situation prevailing in the country and to be definitive in work, a simple methodology was taken for Environmental Impact Assessment. The methodology is based on Environmental Evaluation System (EES) as the assessment is not done for such a project which is going to be established in future. In Bangladesh, in the absence of a database it is only possible to estimate the potential environmental changes from the existing situation. In this method, the background environmental conditions were the reference level and the positive and negative changes in environmental conditions resulting from the Tannery industries were evaluated. Environmental impact assessed by Environmental Impact Values (EIVs).

Source of Information: International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, Vol. 4, No. 2, April 2013

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

As we get the total environmental impact value (EIV) from the table I is -133. Some of the human interest factors were found positive but all the other physic-chemical factors made the total EIV negative. Based on the survey the physical impact was found -47. It is because of discharging the wastewater without proper treatment. For this reason surface, water quality is becoming polluted as well as groundwater. Also the air quality is degrading in an alarming rate. Those who live near the tanneries face severe problems for sound pollution. Fish culture becomes wiped out near the tannery area due to the discharge of untreated wastewater into the water body. The growth of trees reduces and sometimes the soil loses its fertility. Due to tanneries, different types of industries are built near the tannery zone. Human interest has a positive impact because employment increases very rapidly although the sewage system becomes ineffective for the clogged water. During the study, it was found that solid wastes were dumped in open places which create the most severe problem for the environment. It was also found that the workers do not take any kind of safety measures during the work hour. People who live near the tannery industries and works there suffers from different diseases. Despite all of that the most severe problem was found that there is lack of proper guidelines. A multi-donor program called Flood Action Plan (FAP) was undertaken after the 1987-88 floods. As part of the FAP studies, the guideline for Environmental Impact Assessment was prepared in 1992. The manual for Environmental Impact Assessment was prepared in 1995. This was the first attempt to identify the environmental impacts of development activities in Bangladesh. But they are still in use for medium and large-scale projects in water sector. So it is really a matter of great regret for industrial sectors in Bangladesh that there is such a specific guideline to select parameters and assigning important value to conduct EIA. For this reason, some judgment was introduced here. In future some of these parameters from this study could be used for further EIA study for similar industrial sectors.

Knowledge Management: Journal