THE IMPACT OF AIR-POLLUTION CONTROLS ON TANNERY OPERATIONS

Tanneries are increasingly having to comply with numerical limits on the concentrations of air pollutants within the tannery on safety grounds and externally on environmental grounds. These developments will be reviewed in relation to their impact on production costs and acceptable process technologies. Particular attention will be given to reducing the evolution of ammonia, amides, mercaptans and sulphides during beamhouse operations, and emission of volatile organic carbon compounds (VOCs) and particulates in finishing and other operations. Arrestment technology and costs will be used as a baseline on which to assess the cost ceilings for alternative process chemicals or equipment with detailed consideration being given to the potential for water-based finishing systems applied by contact transfer. Water-dilutable lacquers are unlikely to provide an option which will avoid the use of solvent arrestment equipment. Many of the cross-linking agents currently used to improve performance of top coats introduced health hazards for operatives and more attention will have to be given to identifying safer but effective products.