The Green Tannery Initiative: Enzymatic unhairing and sustainable waste utilisation in the Ethiopian Leather Sector
- Last updated on 7 January 2025
Background Information
The global leather industry is at a critical point in adopting sustainable practices to reduce its environmental impact. Recognising this, the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), in partnership with Ethiopia’s Leather and Leather Products Industry Research and Development Centre (LLPIRC) and UNIDO’s Leather Division, is proposing the ‘Green Tannery Initiative’.
This project aims to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of the Ethiopian Leather Sector by enabling the implementation of select eco-friendly practices and demonstrating the viability of these green technologies. The initiative strives to establish new standards that encourage the adoption of sustainable technologies in leather production by (1) replacing hazardous sodium sulphide with enzymes for unhairing and (2) demonstrating/developing advanced waste management technologies for producing value added products from tannery solid wastes viz., hair and fleshings to minimise environmental and health risks significantly.
The project team will evaluate/optimise commercially available enzymes for the local climate and develop a successful enzyme-based unhairing process. The project team will demonstrate the technology at LLPIRC and pilot the enzymatic unhairing at five Ethiopian tanneries and evaluate the environmental benefits. The team will also carry-out cost benefit analysis of enzymatic unhairing and utilization of hair and fleshing waste to present the commercial viability of the proposed green technological option.
The successful implementation of this project aims to transform the Ethiopian leather sector by:
- Reducing environmental pollution through the elimination of hazardous chemicals (sodium sulphide) and efficient solid waste management viz.,hair and fleshing waste,
- Lowering operational costs for tanneries by making a business case with the utlisation of the solid wastes, thereby improving economic viability in leather manufacture,
- Enabling the Ethiopian tanneries to enhance worker safety and health through adhering to international Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards, including the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) guidelines and Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) standards, and
- Setting a precedent for sustainable and circular economy practices, inspiring and supporting broader adoption within the sector.
Updates
Following on from the inception period, the project team is building on the now established relationships with local partners and stakeholders. Progress across three objectives is noteworthy:
- Planning for the baseline survey of tanneries in Ethiopia is progressing well with a draft questionnaire developed to gather data from all local tanneries, focusing on occupational health and safety and clean production practices. Training and capacity building is ongoing with CSIR-CLRI having conducted an Orientation and Training Programme for LLPIRC staff toward the end of September to ensure proper data collection methodologies for the survey. Meanwhile, LLPIRC has proactively begun visiting Ethiopian tanneries to undertake preliminary work, preparing and communicating detailed requirements to all ten operational tanneries in the country to ensure their cooperation for the smooth execution of the baseline survey.
- The team has begun evaluating commercial enzyme samples to assess their activity profiles for suitability in the unhairing process. Five commercially viable enzymes have been identified, and their characterization in terms of activity and stability is progressing well. This evaluation will help determine their effectiveness for the unhairing process.
- In addition, the team has started exploring the ways in which to utilise hair and fleshing waste. This includes developing a consolidated report comparing composting and keratin hydrolysate production as organic supplements. The team is also conducting experimental trials for enzymatic and thermochemical hydrolysis on both green and limed fleshings — a process that converts fleshing waste into protein hydrolysate. These innovations are crucial for promoting circularity and reducing the environmental impact of the leather industry.
Key industry stakeholder meetings are scheduled for late December 2024, followed by an opportunity for local partners to visit the CSIR-CLRI facilities in India for cross-learning and training.
Connect with CSIR-CLRI
Websites
Timeframe
Status
Countries of Implementation
Consortium Partners
Ethiopia’s Leather and Leather Products Industry Research and Development Centre (LLPIRC)
UNIDO Regional Hub at Addis Ababa (Leather Programme)
