Water Footprint Calculation, Effluent Characteristics and Pollution Impact Assessment of Leather Industry in Bangladesh

Leather processing industries consume high volumes of water and chemicals release effluents into the environment that pollute surface may cause harm to human health. involves different wet stages such as soaking, liming, chrome tanning, rechroming, neutralization, fatliqouring dyeing. The pollution generated from leather varies in volume, nature concentrations. Qualitative quantitative assessments can be useful understand stagewise overall design plan abatement initiatives. Water footprints (WF) help understanding total consumption caused by sector. objectives this research are assess characteristics processing, calculate footprint analyze load Bangladesh To perform experimental analyses, effluent samples were collected following stages: deliming bating, pickling back, retanning, dyeing four factories. key indicating parameters, pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological (BOD), dissolved solid (TDS) suspended (TSS) analyzed. study showed almost 52% generate beam house tan yard operations, about 48% post tanning operations. Due presence amounts salt, insecticides bactericides, soaking stage contains BOD TDS. On other hand, liming highest BOD, COD, TDS, TSS. reduction or segregation will effective improving environmental performance leather. sector, feed crops raw hides calculated, along with stages. bovine ovine crust found 34,000 m3/ton 17,300 m3/ton, respectively. blue is higher finishing. green mainly contributed farming animals. grey was About 97% tanneries most significant part which indicates impact This scenario sector Bangladesh. also designing sustainable products reducing per unit goods. systematic approach could for countries processing.