IULTCS criticises “sensationalist” portrayal of tanning industry
05/12/2011
In a document called ‘The World’s Worst Toxic Pollution Problems Report, 2011’, the New York-based Blacksmith Institute lists chrome tanning operations as one of the worst causes of pollution.
In response, IULTCS has said: “Globally, most tanneries operate sustainably and within compliance of local regulations and industry standards. There are some tanneries that do not do an adequate job of treating their waste, but these represent a very small percentage of total leather production and do not characterise the industry.”
Dr S. Rajamani, chair of the IULTCS environmental commission, added: “Clearly the most important and specific omission of the report was the failure to adequately distinguish between the form of chromium used by the leather industry today. Chromium III is used exclusively, it is essentially non-toxic, it does not constitute a significant threat for the environment, and it is not a risk for consumers of leather products.”
IULTCS said that, along with other legitimate industry organisations, it is working hard to improve the impact of leather making on the environment, and complained that for the Blacksmith Institute to imply that the leather industry today is a major polluter is inaccurate. “This is sensationalist and not appropriate,” the organisation concluded.
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