This is confirmed by the industry association on the Official Website of China Leather Industry Association (CLIA), Beijing, China. The decision was taken following the "Risk Assessment Report on Hazardous Properties of Leather Scrape Containing Chromium, Transportation and its Utilization", a report that certified the low chromium content of the tannery's solid residues. Hence, the implementation of environmental standards approved by the MEE (Ministry of Ecological Environment), which will come into force from April 1, 2023.
A commission of industrial experts, on April 21, 2022, had sent a report (Risk Assessment Report on Hazardous Properties of Leather Scrape Containing Chromium, Transportation and its Utilization) to assess the risk of environmental impact of residues of flashing and shaving of tanned leather and wet-blue waste, with regard to chromium content.
The report stated that the solid tannery waste examined represented a low risk to the environment and that this minimal level of impact would make it acceptable to carry out industrial processes for the recycling and reuse of solid residues of chromium leather (e.g. gelatine production, industrial proteins, regenerated leather, etc.) without harm to the environment and health.
The evaluation report provided key theoretical support for the research of technical regulations for the pollution control of chromium-containing leather waste. The standards that were subsequently designed are considered as ecological environmental standards approved by the MEE and will enter into force from 1 April 2023.
It is understood that technical regulations can provide a broad methodology for the treatment of chromium-containing leather waste and play an important role in promoting the industry of high quality and sustainable development. They also provide important technical support for the revision of relevant environmental regulations and the implementation of environmental management standards.
