Eco-friendlier Leather From India

If this technique is widely put to use, it will go a long way in cleaning up the Ganges and improving the environment in many parts of India.

"... scientists based near Chennai, India have now developed a more environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient method for tanning leather.

Raghava Rao and a group of researchers at the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) in Adyar have found a simple way to reduce the amount of chemical pollutants involved in tanning by merely reversing the order of tanning and post-tanning steps. By doing so, they were able to cut the amount of chemicals released by 82% and increased energy efficiency by 40%, without observable reduction in quality."

Eco-friendlier Leather From India : TreeHugger