In response to the malfunctioning central effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the Tannery Industrial Estate in Savar, tannery owners have decided to take matters into their own hands by establishing their own Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs).
The objective behind this initiative is to enhance the leather sector by efficiently treating industrial wastewater for reuse and safe disposal. The installation of ETPs is deemed essential for achieving compliance standards, attracting new buyers, retaining existing foreign buyers, and securing fair prices for leather and leather products, as per their insights.
Following the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation’s (BSCIC) failure to address the issues with the CETP despite repeated appeals from the tanners, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Due to the unresolved situation, the tanners are unable to obtain certification from the Leather Working Group (LWG), which happens to be the largest leather industry-specific stakeholder organization worldwide.
As per BSCIC sources, approximately 150 tanneries are present, and five of them have proactively taken steps to construct their own ETPs. Among the five, Bay Footwear and Apex Tannery have secured final approval from the Ministry of Industries and are currently in the process of building their treatment plants.
The remaining three tanneries, which cater to the European market with their leather and leather products, are eagerly awaiting approval to proceed with the establishment of their ETPs. These tanneries include Samina Tannery (Pvt), Sadar Tannery Ltd., and Bengal Leather Complex Ltd.
