Tannery Solid Waste to Treat Toxic Liquid Wastes: A New Holistic Paradigm

Leather processing involves conversion of putrescible hide/skin into nonputrescible leather. This results in generation of both solid and liquid wastes. Solid waste disposal is increasingly becoming a huge challenge to tanners due to paucity of landfill sites and strict environmental legislations worldwide. Hence, finding a holistic solution to the tannery solid waste disposal problem is a challenge for researchers. In this context, use of solid waste for treatment of toxic pollutants in liquid waste is emerging as a new paradigm for solid waste generated from tanneries. Tannery solid wastes such as fleshings, trimmings, and shavings are proteinous wastes. Hence, they contain functional groups that can complex with many metals and organic molecules such as dyes. This article presents an overview of the solid wastes emanating from tanneries and the various disposal methods practiced with special emphasis on the utilization of these wastes to treat toxic liquid pollutants.