CLRI Leather waste project reaches commercial scale
India’s Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI) has announced the successful commercial-scale production and validation of a process for creating “regenerated leather” from buffing dust, shaving dust, and trimmings from crust & finished leather.
The project was a result of a collaboration between CSIR-CLRI, Chennai, and M/s TATA International, Dewas. This regenerated material, known as "GenoCorium," is said to be an innovative and sustainable solution that utilises the wastes generated by the leather industry, including used and discarded leather products.
The Institute said the new process provides a viable, environmentally-friendly solution to an important industrial waste management problem and also offers significant financial returns.
The Indian leather industry produces around 77,000 tons of waste each year in the form of shaving waste, trimming waste, and buffing dust. However, this waste is not currently disposed of in an environmentally safe and secure manner. Dr. Saravanan Palanivel, Chief Scientist at CLRI, pointed out the need for proper disposal methods to prevent environmental damage.
