Despite all the technological metamorphosis, and
environmental awareness there still exists a place living in a different era.
Hazaribagh is an old tannery district of Dhaka in Bangladesh. Tannery industries of Hazaribagh are situated in the densely populated
residential area. Around 206 leather tanneries from Hazaribagh will either shut
down their operations, or shift to a different part with 30,000 workers and
equipments moving simultaneously. A way of life will soon vanish from the
district, but no one seems to protest.
Tanneries of Hazaribagh usually dump their effluents into
the drain that leads to River Buriganga, flowing through Dhaka. Most of the
workers from these tanneries work in primitive conditions. These kinds of
tanneries are a hallmark of this place. Workers without any protective clothing
walk around the tanneries handling corrosive chemicals. Most of them do not
wear boots or gloves, and handle the machinery with bare hands. No one wears a
mask, and there are no safety fountains for eye-washing. Their homes are built
very close to the streams that are regularly being contaminated by the
hazardous discharges of these tanneries.
Tanning and making leather involves the application of
numerous chemicals, most of which are potentially harmful to the workers,
environment and the public. An estimate states that 70% of the tannerys total
operating costs would be for the raw animal hides, 10% will be spent on
chemicals, and the remaining 20% for salaries, utilities, and other expenses. Sodium
sulfide, sodium hydrosulfide, caustic soda, lime, and sulfuric acid are a few
chemicals used in the tanning process.
The chemicals used for tanning will rot if it is not treated
properly. Apart from this, chromium based chemicals are also used for chrome tanning.
This is generally used to turn the hide into a bluish-white color so as to
store it for a longer time. During the finishing process, various finishing
agents, and dyes are used to improve the look and characteristics of the
leather.
As a normal practice tanners need to treat their effluents
before they discharge it into the environment. But, this practice is not
followed in Hazaribagh. Tanneries in this area discharge around 21, 600 square
meters of liquid wastes every day. Leather industry, which is the fourth
largest foreign exchange generator of the country, contributes to 6% of the
total export earnings. The industry produces 150 metric tons of solid waste
everyday spoiling the environment and human lives. The Government is not
showing much interest in the environmental impact caused by the industries.
Leather manufactured from this place is being shipped to the
US and Europe, and other parts of the world for further processing. With the
current trend of more focus towards ethical manufacturing process, countries
are much interested towards the way in which their products are manufactured.
They focus on the fact that it is done in a way that does not infect the
environment. Most of the chemicals used in these tanneries are from foreign
countries. The European Commission is considering about banning the leather
imported from Hazaribagh due to its manufacturing process. Pressure of these
countries has actually made the tanneries to attempt relocation.
The environmental issues of Hazaribagh are positively
anticipated to solve by the end of 2010, when the tanneries move to Savar. While
there is no room for effluent treatment plants in Hazaribagh, these facilities
will be in primary focus at the proposed leather industry zone. Comprehensive
range of safety equipments will also be introduced. With the proposed shifting
of the tanneries, the old lifestyle of the place will come to an end meaning
for better changes.
References:
1.
http://www.sos-arsenic.net/
2.
http://pubs.acs.org
