
Environmental footprint for leather – Update
Article first published in ILM March-April 2015 edition.
Read more...Article first published in ILM March-April 2015 edition.
Read more...By Catherine Money, Catherine Money Consulting, Melbourne, Australia. That climate change is happening is unequivocal. We are heading towards 2014 being the hottest year on record; the world’s warmest 10 years have all been since 1998; last year carbon dioxide levels rose by the highest amount in 30 years; and we are still on track for a 6°C rise in temperature and phenomenal sea level rises. The impacts of climate change are already affecting communities around the world. Article first published in ILM January - February 2015 edition.
Read more...During the 10th Asian International Conference for Leather Science and Technology in Okayama on November 25, Dr Masami Sugita, President of the Japanese Association of Leather Technology (JALT), gave an update on the progress and status of Japan’s Eco Leather programme. Article first published in ILM January - February 2015 edition.
Read more...The International Union of Environment (IUE) Commission is one of the four Commissions of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS). The IUE Commission, which has representation from nearly 30 countries, meets every year in one of the member countries and discusses environmental issues and technological solutions to tackle the pollution problems in tanneries. IUE has developed technical guidelines for many environmental protection measures for the international leather industry.
Read more...Article first published in the November-December 2014 edition of ILM.
Read more...Introduction (Article first published in ILM, January-February 2015 edition)
Read more...This article was first published ILM September-October 2014 page 68. Part 1 is also available on this website. In the first part of this article (ILM May/June page 20-22) we learned about the properties that make leather such a unique material. It was also shown how cost pressures (hides, energy, environmental costs) can lead tanners to making wrong decisions about their production process by sacrificing quality and ecology. The following part addresses the ecological production of leather, which, along with quality and the appeal of the final leather, forms the base for a sustainable and successful marketing model for leather.
Read more...Global climate change has come into focus during the last years. A major source contributing to the global climate change is the emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere. As a consequence, more attention is now made on Product Carbon Footprint, which has been an important factor to assess the environmental sustainability of products. A Product Carbon Footprint describes the sum of greenhouse gas emissions accumulated during the full life cycle of a product and is therefore a measure of the absolute climate impact of a product and its use.
Read more...During the 10th Asian International Conference for Leather Science and Technology in Okayama on November 25, Dr Masami Sugita, President of the Japanese Association of Leather Technology gave an update on the progress and status of Japan’s Eco Leather programme.
Read more...ILM interview with Dr Keiji Yoshimura, Chairman of the 10th Asian International Conference on Leather Science and Technology (AICLST) 2014 and Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Leather Technology Center. The conference takes place in Okayama, Japan, November 23-26, 2014.
Read more...JBS Couros, the worlds largest leather maker, is looking at new ways where it can manage its chrome containing wastes and is constantly seeking better uses for this material. A good example is the project for the recycling of wet-blue shavings which last year won the Kurt Politzer Innovation Award, sponsored by ABIQUIM.
Read more...Dear Editor,
Read more...Good news
Read more...Sustainable farming: Summer in Australia: droughts, bush fires and record heat waves and floods. Farmers have a hard life and many are leaving the land because they can no longer make a living. My parents bought a rundown dairy farm when I was eight so that the family could enjoy working holidays near the sea. Ever since, I have enjoyed being a part-time farmer but I am glad we do not have to make a living from it.
Read more...ILM interview with Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, Secretary-General of COTANCE. Following the COTANCE general assembly in Edinburgh in June, the stakeholders of the EU Pilot for the standardisation of the Product Category Rules for the Environmental Footprint of Leather met to discuss the next steps in the project
Read more...In the last edition of ILM (March/April 2014), two pieces were published in response to my article on “System Boundaries in Product Carbon Footprints of Leather” (ILM December/January 2014 pages 24-26).
Read more...The problem of the re-use of carbon footprint studies within an industrial context. Federico Brugnoli, Consultant
Read more...Eagle Ottawa has developed a composition product range using waste from mainstream leather production and recycled water.
Read more...Introduction
Read more...By Wolfram Scholz, W2O Environment Ltd, Northampton UK: wolfram@w2oenvironment.net
Read more...Italian tannery machinery maker Cartigliano is best known for its leather drying equipment but it recently turned its attention to reducing the moisture content of tannery waste sludge, producing a novel drying unit based on heat convection.
Read more...First experiences with the environmental certificate: Energy Controlled Leather (ECO2L) by Dr Thomas Schröer, Verband der Deutschen Lederindustrie (VDL) Dipl. Ing (FH), Jutta Knödler, I-T-G GmbH
Read more...Salt in leather making is a hot topic at the moment and industry groups such as the LWG have been looking into the use and control of salt in leather making. Barry Wood, Leather Consultant, discusses the latest issues facing the industry.
Read more...PrimeAsia manufactures high quality lifestyle and sports inspired leathers for global branded footwear, apparel and leather goods market with an annual production capacity of around 128 million sq ft of leather. Its manufacturing site in China produces 5.5million sq ft of leather per month. As water is a necessary resource for the creation of leather, PrimeAsia strives to reduce water use and over the past five years has reduced fresh water intake by 21.5%. In 2012, it set further ambitious targets to reduce energy, water, and waste reduction by 30%.
Read more...Dr Beate Haaser, Manager PWA/BEA, Suedleder outlines the initial results of their new bioenergy plant located at their tannery in southern Germany
Read more...The world is on track for 4-6°C of global warming and unmitigated disaster. The accelerating melt of permafrost at the Arctic and Antarctic, releasing methane, brings forward the date when the temperature rise exceeds 2°C.
Read more...Mike Tomkin, Director of Sustainability, Stahl explains to ILM why good business governance and Corporate Social Responsibility are important in the modern tanning industry. In an era when the leather industry is attacked for its environmental and human rights records, good CSR is essential for any tanner wanting to compete on the global stage
Read more...