Environment & Poverty Times


07 2012


UNEP/GRID-Arendal


6 7


Remarkable resource efficiency: Case study – LITE Manufacturing system


ISA Leather was the winner of the China Leather Industry Innovation Award in 2009 and recipient of 2nd prize in the 2010 Energy Efficiency Awards of the German Energy Agency, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).


By applying best practice technologies, life cycle costing and appropriate management methodologies, it is possible to reduce energy consumption by 75 per cent and water con- sumption by 50 per cent. Below are some examples of improvements in energy and wa- ter efficiency in the tanning industry.


Water management: to save water, a closed-loop system can be implemented to reuse process water, while oil can also be recovered and used as input for steam generation. All that is required when reusing water is appropriate cleaning and proper monitoring of water quality. Constructed wetland technology can also be used to treat wastewater and at the same time produce biomass energy.


unit of value-added industrial output) by 30 per cent. Finally, it intends to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 per cent and to cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 17 per cent.


Energy and water efficiency are key to sustainability and profitability Uncertainty persists in the business envi- ronment in the face of climate change and the aftermath of the financial crisis. Most small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging economies are reluctant to invest in greening their production. In the leath- er industry, as in many other industries, the initial step towards eco-profits and business sustainability is to capitalize on opportuni- ties generated by smarter and more efficient manufacturing methods.


Energy and water represent the main operating costs in the tanning industry. Very few tanneries are investing resources, time or money in improving their energy and water efficiency and waste manage- ment. Most tanneries use an end-of-pipe approach by increasing their wastewa- ter treatment capacity or installing air filters to filter emissions from finishing equip- ment that uses cheaper conventional spray- ing machines.


The LITE leather classification in China The LITE classification was developed to demonstrate that significant process improve- ments are possible in the tanning industry in order to reduce the environmental impact of leather production. Several demonstration projects have been implemented since 2007 by the leather company Guangzhou Tan Tec Leather Ltd. and its new plant, Heshan Best Way Leather Ltd. in Guangdong, China. The


LITE classification provides information for each kind of leather, addressing CO2 emissions and water consumption, and was implemented as a pioneer project to ensure greater transparency for customers. Based on monitoring and analysis of existing processes it has led to major reductions in water and energy consumption.


Given the success of the pioneer project, the company implementing the classifica- tion made further investments in training and know-how transfer to meet public interest. This initiative could open the way for replication of the LITE classification so that other industries can improve their environmental management and energy design and promote green value chain procurements, in cooperation with suppli- ers and customers.


In today’s business world, market prices do not reflect the full cost of processing inputs and outputs. While economic in- terests and share values drive sustainable business growth, the principle of the LITE classification is to encourage eco-efficiency and resource productivity. By sharing the positive effects of its experience, the LITE classification supports customers in responsible sourcing and downstream green consumption. Furthermore, it helps to transform our re-industrialisation pro- gramme through service innovations so that companies can create eco-profits by doing more with less.


About the author: Kris Schneider is co-founding partner of ISA/Tan Tec leather (http://www. liteleather.com/) and a research fellow at China’s Research Institute of Economic Transition (http:// www.crcet.com/english_index.htm).


With wetland biological treatment, all nitrogen in the effluent is eliminated, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) is biologically degraded from 240 to 40 parts per million. Ad- ditional savings are made on chemicals otherwise needed for wastewater treatment and on electricity to run traditional water treatment facilities (energy savings are translated into 12 800 kg COD a year, equivalent to savings of 56 000 kWh and 153 000 kWh for nitrogen removal).


Equipment: by changing re-tanning vessels, the water needed in the process can be reduced by 50 per cent. The energy required for this kind of drum is less than 25 per cent of the energy used by a conventional drum. In addition to cost savings for freshwater, fewer chemicals are required, and wastewater volume is reduced, leading to savings in treatment and waste disposal costs.


Process control and data command: automatic dosing systems control water volume and temperature. For management control, virtual monitors are installed on each machine, while data reporting and graphic analysis are available in real time, including online/on screen error messaging, ready to be sent by e-mail and SMS to operating units whenever errors occur or limits are exceeded.


Leather drying: leather is dried on toggle dryers or vacuum dryers. Vacuum drying technol- ogy has been improved over recent years and low temperature dryers are now available on the market. These dryers require less energy than conventional vacuum dryers.


Finishing: conventional spraying machines require auxiliaries to dilute the chemicals be- fore they are sprayed on the leather. The spraying process has an efficiency of only 50 per cent, causing the emission of chemicals into the air. Alternative direct coating application machines can now be used. These machines apply the chemical undiluted onto the surface of the leather and thus have no air emissions. Energy consumption on the drying side is also considerably reduced.


Facility management: facilities are designed as green buildings and integrated into the local natural environment. Energy costs are reduced through investment in industrial solar hot water systems and biomass energy generation.


Did you know?


t In 2011, China vowed to limit its water use to 670 billion cubic metres (177 trillion gal- lons) annually over the next decade.


(Source: The Asia Water Project)


t South Korea made huge investments in water and sanitation during the 1960s, when its per capita income was the same as Ghana’s, and during that decade, under-five mortality more than halved, while the number of medical staff stayed virtually the same.


(Source: Harvard Business Review “China leads the Clean Economy Race”, September 23, 2010)


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