Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain on Wednesday said the government has taken a series of measures, including tannery relocation and waste-treatment facilities to prevent the use of hazardous tannery waste in poultry and fish feed production.
“The use of tannery waste in poultry and fish feed poses a serious threat to public health,” he said while replying to a scripted question from ruling party lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni (reserved seat-10) during the question-answer session in Parliament.
"The issue is entirely true, and evidence from various studies and reports supports it," he said.
The Minister said large quantities of chromium and other heavy metals are used in leather processing, while unscrupulous traders often utilise toxic tannery waste to produce low-cost protein feed for poultry and fish.
As a result, highly toxic Hexavalent Chromium (Cr-VI) accumulates in chicken meat and eggs, he said, adding that the hazardous substance is not destroyed even by cooking.
He warned that consumption of contaminated poultry and fish could lead to serious health complications, including cancer, liver cirrhosis, ulcers and kidney failure.
Highlighting government initiatives to address the problem, the minister said one of the most significant measures was the relocation of tanneries from Hazaribagh in Dhaka to the Leather Industrial City at Hemayetpur in Savar.
Considering public health and environmental concerns, the tannery industry was shifted from Hazaribagh to Savar, he said.
"In 2017, following a High Court directive, utility connections to the Hazaribagh tanneries were disconnected to ensure the relocation was fully implemented," he added.
The minister said a Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) has been established at the Savar Leather Industrial City to properly treat chemical waste generated by tanneries.
"The primary objective of the CETP is to ensure that hazardous tannery waste is treated appropriately so that it cannot spread indiscriminately or be illegally used in poultry feed production," he said.
Sakhawat Husain said the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Department of Environment have been conducting regular mobile court drives against illegal factories producing poultry and fish feed from tannery waste in Hazaribagh and adjacent areas.
He said many such illegal factories have been permanently shut down through enforcement actions.
The minister also said the cancer risk associated with poultry feed produced from tannery waste is a scientifically established fact and noted that the government's interventions have significantly reduced the threat.