On June 1 Elmo Leather's new treatment plant at Svenljunga, Sweden, was opened. This is an ambitious project based on innovative technology that reduces nitrogen emissions in wastewater by 80%. This is a major advance since the previous plant only reduced nitrogen by 30%. This is the first time that this new treatment technology has been used for wastewater in the tanning industry. The total cost of the project is around €5.45 million, of which around €900,000 was contributed by the EU´s LIFE environmental fund. The LIFE fund makes environmental protection and nature conservation grants within the EU with the main purpose of driving the implementation and development of the EU's environmental policy by supporting pilot projects that illustrate innovative technologies or methods. A life project should serve as a good example and turn environmental policies into practical action. At the time when Elmo successfully applied for the grant, the European Commission granted 104 of 530 applications so there is some pretty stiff competition. One of the conditions of acceptance is that Elmo are required to guarantee that for 18 months they will measure the effectiveness of the plant and distribute information about the results to other tanners and other relevant industries (ie textile and paper). Elmo were prompted to expand the scope of their treatment because they wanted to increase their production limit from 3.5 million sq m to 4.5 million sq m of finished leather. At the time of their initial announcement of the project Elmo stated that until the plant reached full capacity they would continue to have their wastewater treated at the municipal sewage works. They said that in the short term their profitability would not benefit but, over the longer term, they hoped that the project would strengthen their competitive edge and position in the market by emphasising Elmo as a more environmentally aware company. In simple terms, the new purification technology means that the micro-organisms in the wastewater are first allowed to grow and multiply. To survive they are forced to use up nitrogen pollutants due to the lack of oxygen. The result is that the dominating part (around 80%) of pollutants disappear because they have been reduced to nitrogen gas, ie the same gas that dominates the atmosphere. Another company under the environmental spotlight currently are Walfertan and their owners A I Topper & Co in Australia. Topper are required to take measures to eliminate 'long standing offensive odours' and ensure that effluent treatment at the Walfertan plant is 'environmentally sustainable'. Pollution reduction notices were placed on the company by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation in August last year. Walfertan, which processes hides, goat and sheepskins to wet-blue, were called on to implement five new pollution reduction programmes amidst concerns that strong odours from the plant impacted on the local community. The company say they have completed assessments of the odour and effluent management system deficiencies and will move to the capital construction phase with the majority of the necessary works to be completed by June 2006 and further assessments to demonstrate compliance by June 2007. Topper say that the tannery already uses best available technology and the processes are designed to minimise impact on the local community. Shelagh Davy
