Tannery waste smuggling to animal feed-producing factories continues, despite HC directives to stop it

TANNERY waste ended up in our plate through the feed of poultry and fisheries. Tannery solid waste is indeed getting smuggled and being sold to animal feed-producing factories regularly, though the High Court in 2019 directed the government to immediately stop the operation of poultry and fish feed factories across the country that use hazardous tannery waste for producing feed.
A variety of chemicals, including chromium, are used to make animal feed from the tannery waste. These chemicals have the potential for deadly diseases, including cancer, in the human body. Use of tannery waste is completely prohibited in the poultry industry. This waste carries heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that are harmful for health. However, the smuggling of tannery waste continues to this date, although the authorities and police claim that they have a zero-tolerance policy in this regard.
In Savar tannery estate, the industrial area has 141 operational tanneries and one dedicated dumping station for solid waste, which is around six acres. They usually dump these solid wastes in a dedicated station and leave them there. Around 64,000 tonnes of solid waste is produced per year. Sometimes, the authorities seize trucks laden with solid waste; however, they release it through underhand dealings.
The Dhaka Tannery Industrial Estate Waste Treatment Plant Company Limited has initiated a plan to turn solid waste from the Savar Industrial Industry into saleable products. Two types of waste are produced from leather processing in Savar-liquid and solid. The liquid waste ends up in rivers after being treated at the Central Effluent Treatment Plant, while the solid waste is dumped on open grounds. The industry produces 64,000 tonnes of solid waste every year and has reached beyond the authorities’ capacity to manage, resulting in unchecked mixing with river water.
On the other hand, meeting poultry protein-safe transformation of the tannery solid waste could be a good option. Several academic researchers are on hand on how to convert waste into safe feed, without blaming gaming, we should adopt those for public health safety.