WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, THEIR CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIC WAY FORWARDS -THE CASE IN THE ETHIOPIAN TANNERIES

Teklay Asgedom Teferi (PhD)*, Saba Kifle Mulugeta

ABSTRACT

The tannery industry stands as a significant contributor to the Ethiopian economy, leveraging the country's substantial livestock population for leather production and export. However, this economic boon is counterbalanced by severe environmental and public health repercussions due to inadequate and unsustainable waste management practices. This study synthesizes the prevailing conditions, identifying key challenges and proposing a strategic framework for sustainable improvement. The primary solid waste, chromium-tanned leather scraps, and the liquid effluent laden with toxic heavy metals (particularly chromium), sulphides, salts, and organic load, are frequently discharged untreated or partially treated into water bodies and terrestrial ecosystems. This leads to the contamination of soil and water resources, posing significant risks to aquatic life, agricultural productivity, and human health. The core challenges are multifaceted, encompassing technical, economic, and regulatory spheres. Technically, most tanneries operate with obsolete machinery and lack advanced affordable effluent treatment plants. Economically, high capital and operational costs for modern waste management systems are prohibitive. Furthermore, a critical challenge lies in the limited knowledge and implementation of by-product recovery and valorization techniques, viewing waste as a liability rather than a resource. Regulatory, weak enforcement of environmental standards and fragmented institutional oversight perpetuate non-compliance. The strategic way forward necessitates a multi-pronged approach. Primarily, there is an urgent need for technology transfer and adaptation of affordable, context-specific treatment solutions, including modular effluent treatment plants. Secondly, promoting a circular economy model is paramount. This involves incentivizing the valorization of tannery by-products; converting fleshings and trimmings into protein-rich animal feed or biodiesel, and transforming chromium-laden sludge into value-added products. Finally, strengthening governance through stringent enforcement of regulations, coupled with capacity building for both regulators and industry operators, is essential. By integrating technological innovation, economic incentives, and robust policy, the Ethiopian tannery sector can transform its waste management paradigm, aligning economic growth with environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

Keywords:

Ethiopian; Tanneries; waste; Management; challenge; pollution;
circular economy.

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