COTANCE speaks out in defence of chrome-tanning
01/05/2019
In a newsletter, published by COTANCE at the end of April, it said there are good reasons why tanners still use chrome to produce between 85% and 90% of all the leather in the world.
It said the trivalent chromium (Cr III) present in the salts leather manufacturers use is versatile, works with all types of hides and skins and offers simplicity of use, precision, security and shorter process times.
In the newsletter COTANCE went on to say that REACH legislation has shown the Cr III presents no health threat to the vast majority of people and that its “correct and responsible use” in tanneries is perfectly all right.
If there have been instances of the “less benign” hexavalent chromium appearing in leather, COTANCE argued that this was because manufacturers had used “leather of doubtful origin” to make their finished products. It suggested that sourcing leather from suppliers in Europe would offer these companies all the reassurance they need.
“Rest assured chromium-tanned leather from reliable sources presents no danger to the average consumer,” COTANCE said.
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