Speaker at a seminar here stressed the need for proper treatment of both liquid and solid wastes of the country’s tanneries to export leather to the European Union and the USA.

The training institute of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industry Corporation (BSCIC Training Institute) arranged the seminar titled “Impact of Tannery Waste on Environmental: Ways to address it,” at its office with participation of tannery owners, officials and entrepreneurs.

“Proper environmental management, liquid and solid waste management are essential to export leather to America and the European Union,” said Director of Institute of Leather Engineering Technology of Dhaka University Prof Dr Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.

He in his keynote speech also said one must have a Leather Working Group (LWG) certificate to be a compliance tannery.

Addressing the seminar as the chief guest, BSCIC Chairman Md Mahbubor Rahman said a relationship of trust must be created between BSCIC and the industrial owners. The industrial owners must follow the guidelines, he said.

Deputy Secretary of Industry Ministry Mostak Ahmed asked the tannery owners to be conscious in treatment of tannery wastes.

He suggested framing a plan on how solid wastes can be made into finished products here like the developed countries.

Principal of BSCIC Training Institute Engineer Shafiqul Alam said the chemicals used in leather industry such as Cr, Cadmium are heavy metal, which are very harmful to human beings.

“If a product is harmful to people, it can’t be bought even if it is of good quality. If any industry fails to go with compliances, it will get destroyed,” he said.

Now a good number of small and large tannery units remain in production in the Savar Tannery Estate after relocation of tanneries enterprises from Hazaribagh in the capital.

The tannery factories are playing an important role in our economic development of the country on the one hand, but their wastages are posing a dangerous threat to environment on the other hand, said a press release.