Sustainable supply chain campaigner Solidaridad has teamed up with leather chemicals and coatings company Stahl, non-profit PUM Netherlands and a number of Indian partners to launch a public-private partnership aimed at cleaning up the Ganges river.
The project, launched yesterday (14 November), aims to make the north Indian Kanpur Leather Cluster more sustainable by implementing new working methods and state-of-the-art technologies with a lower environmental impact.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Ultimately, the five-year project is hoping to address several challenges related to overall water use and pollution from the Kanpur leather cluster, which is partly responsible for pollution loads in the Ganges, the groups say. The target is to reduce the effluent water discharged by at least 40% and to introduce alternative technologies and processes at tanneries with a reduced environmental impact.
Solidaridad, Stahl and PUM are working with local partners Uttar Pradesh Leather Industry Association, Small Tanners Association, Central Leather Research Institute and Ganga Pollution Control Unit. The latter is part of the wider ‘Clean Ganga’ initiative launched by the Indian government several years ago.
“Solidaridad sees cooperation with tanneries and governments as the key to a cleaner Ganges,” says Gert van der Bijl, international programme manager, livestock & leather, at Solidaridad. “Together we work on sustainable work practices for these tanneries. Solidaridad will introduce new technologies, business processes and trainings at all levels to diminish water use and pollution. Improving working conditions is an important focus.”
Environmentally cautious production methods will be introduced as part of the programme, as well as training for tannery staff on best practice. A Stahl Center of Excellence will also be established to demonstrate more sustainable technologies. As a wider part of the programme, activities for downstream communities will be introduced on efficient water use for irrigation and livestock farming.
“At Stahl we believe in actively promoting safe usage of chemicals around the world,” says Michael Costello, director sustainability at Stahl. “We are well aware of the complex issues in the Kanpur leather cluster where some 400 tanneries discharge 50m litres of waste water each day. We also understand that we alone cannot change the situation, so we have joined forces with industry partners and local authorities to contribute to the clean-up already underway of this iconic and sacred river.”
The project is being supported by The Sustainable Water Fund programme (FDW), a public-private partnership facility of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Solidaridad is the overall project coordinator and consortium leader, Stahl is the main private contributor and PUM will be providing technical assistance and training support from senior experts.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataLeather exporters in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh have faced closure of their tanneries this year over environmental concerns – on top of existing challenges that include trying to overcome the shortage of raw hides and loss of business to Brazilian companies.
The 12th most populous city in India, with 3m inhabitants, produces buffalo leather used mainly to make boots and belts, with some also sold to furniture upholsterers.
In July, India’s National Green Tribunal – a national environmental protection judicial institution – released an order telling tanneries to properly treat liquid waste from production units before releasing it into sewers.
Indian leather producers face new regulatory threat
